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BX  8949  .C46  1898 

Centennial  celebration  of 
the  United  Presbyterian 


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«  «  «  17^7 — 1$97  «  «  « 

ENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION  OF 
THE  UNITED  PRESBYTERIAN 
(THE  OLD  WHITE)  CHURCH 
BUILDING,  *  SALEM,  WASHINGTON 
COUNTY,  N.  Y.,    *    NOVEHBER  9th,  1897  • 


ILLUSTRATED. 


PRINTED   BY 

T.  A.  Wright.  New  York. 
1898. 


Znblc  of  Contents. 


F'AOE 


Preface, 5 

Sermon.     By  Rev.  David  Craig  Stewart 9 

Invocation, 23 

Remarks.     By  the  Chairman 24 

Historical  Sketch, 27 

Remarks.    By  the  Chairman 35 

List  of  Worshipers, 37 

Roll  of  Members 43 

Scraps  Saved  from  Scattering, 49 

Lines  Written  for  the  Occasion 53 

The  Present.     By  Rev.  Dr.  Turnbull 55 

Glimpse  at  the  Future.     By  Rev.  Mr.  McEachron,          .        .        ,  58 

Address.    By  Rev.  Dr.  E.  P.  Sprague 61 

Greeting  from  Albany  Preshvtekv.     By  Rev.  Mr.  Williamson,   .  64 
Addresses  by  : 

Rev.  G.  C.  Morehouse,            65 

Rev.  A.  W.  Morris, 66 

Mr.  Skellie 67 

Reminiscences.    By  Rev.  James  C.  Forsyth,  D.D.,        .        .        .        .71 
Extract  from  Letters : 

Rev.  Wm.  A.  Mackenzie, 77 

Wm.  A.  Mackenzie,  Jr., 78 

Letters  from : 

Rev.  Horace  L.  Singleton,  D.D., 78 

Rev.  Dr.  John  D.  Wells 79 

Mr.  Andrew  H.  Green,  of  New  York,            ......  80 

Rev.  Dr.  Richard  H.  Steele 80 


4  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 

Letters.    {Continued.)  page 

Rev.  Dr.  James  B.  Scouller, 8l 

Mrs.  F.  Halley  Wiles, 82 

Mrs.  Henrietta  B.  Halley, 83 

Mrs.  M.  M.  Farrington, 83 

Rev.  J.  A.  Reynolds,  D.D 84 

Rev.  Wni.  Johnson,  D.D 85 

Rev.  John  R.  Fisher,  D.D 85 

Mrs.  S.  A.  Fowler, 86 

Rev.  Herbert  C.  Hinds 87 

Rev.  Albert  G.  Todd 88 

Rev.  Charles  T.  White, 88 

Rev.  James  G.  Robertson 88 

Rev.  T.  W.  Harwood 90 

Rev.  Wm.  H.  Meeker, 91 

Description  of  Relics, 93 


miustrations. 


Frontispiece — Exterior  of  Church, 
Interior  of  Church, 
Old  Meeting  House, 
Portrait  of  Rev.  Dr.  Proudfit, 
Plan  of  Church,       .... 
Photographic  View  of  Parsonage, 
Portrait  of  Rev.  David  Craig  Stewart, 
Portrait  of  Rev.  J  .C.  Forsyth,  D.D., 
Portrait  of  Rev.  Wm.  A.  Mackenzie, 
Portrait  of  Rev.  Ebenezer  Halley,  D.D., 
Vignette  of  Tokens, 


PAGE 

Facing  4 
26 
34 
36 
48 
54 
60 
70 
76 
82 
91 


EXTERIOR 
1897 


PREFACE. 

A  score  and  a  half  years  ago,  when  the  centenary  was 
observed  of  the  settlement  in  Salem  by  the  congregation 
from  Ballibay,  it  was  strongly  urged  by  many  that  the 
proceedings  should  be  published.  Preliminaries  were 
arranged,  but  the  plan  never  came  to  fruition.  Dr.  Asa 
Fitch's  valuable  and  painstaking  address  was  preserved, 
but  only  in  manuscript,  as  also  were  papers  full  of  inter- 
esting memories  by  several  aged  ministers,  poems  inspired 
by  the  event,  speeches  congratulatory,  reminiscent,  fore- 
casting. These  have  since  been  collected,  and  occupy  a 
secure,  not  obscure,  corner  in  the  Public  Library. 

Moreover,  although  not  printed  in  compact  form,  they 
have  served  as  treasuries  from  which  data  have  been  ob- 
tained when  other  mile-stones  in  the  pilgrimage  have  been 
reached. 

The  next  observable  point  whence  a  look  back  was 
taken,  to  insiDire  a  forward  march,  was  the  year  1876.  Then 
the  clergyman  in  charge  compiled  a  history,  which  covers 
the  space  from  the  coming  of  Dr.  Thomas  Clark,  bringing 
over  the  congregation  to  this  country,  until  the  fifth  year 
of  the  author's  pastorate.  These  five  years  multiplied  into 
five  times  five.  The  quarter- centennial  was  marked  by  the 
retention  again  of  facts  worth  remembering,  which  assumed 
the  shape  of  "The  Anniversary  Souvenir." 


6  PREFACE. 

When  the  edifice  where  the  congregation  meets  had 
passed  its  one  hundredth  birthday,  it  seemed  fitting  to 
pursue  the  gathering  and  conserving  process  once  more; 
especially  so  as  the  second  century  of  its  occupancy  was 
begun  under  the  leadership  of  a  new  pastor.  The  sermon 
which  he  preached  on  the  first  Sabbath  of  November  de- 
servedly comes  first  in  the  record  of  events. 

We  reluctantly  forego  the  presentation  of  all  that 
was  said  and  done  at  the  installation  service  the  follow- 
ing Tuesday  afternoon.  Sermons,  charges,  speeches,  and 
prayers  have  been  recorded  in  type-writing,  however,  and 
will  remain  among  the  Church  archives.  This  volume  is 
confined  to  what  took  place  in  the  evening. 

We  will  detain  the  reader  from  its  "feast  of  good  things" 
only  a  few  moments  longer,  to  give  credit  where  it  is  due 
for  the  complete  success  of  the  day.  The  weather  was  so 
intensely  stormy  that  it  seemed  entirely  discouraging.  The 
particular  men  there  that  persevered,  carrying  messages 
through  the  rain,  going  hither  and  thither  at  call,  perform- 
ing what  appeared  impossibilities,  were  the  sexton,  John 
Wright,  "Col."  Wm.  R.  Boyd,  Robert  McAllister,  Jr., 
and  John  W.  McFarland.  James  A.  McFarland  also  proved 
himself  a  worthy  descendant  of  the  "  Jas.  A."  whose  name 
so  frequently  appeared  on  the  trustees'  books  in  times 
of  yore. 

Those  trustees'  books,  by  the  way,  are  objects  of  curi- 
osity from  their  age.  The  entries  date  back  more  than 
a  century,  and  for  many  a  year  have  had  safe  keeping  in 
the  Stevenson  Homestead,  under  the  careful  guardianship 
of  the  clerk,  the  Hon.  Thomas  Stevenson. 

From  between  their  ancient  leathern  covers  were  ex- 


PREFACE.  7 

tracted  a  dozen  or  so  of  items  for  the  "Historical  Sketch." 
These  were  not  collated  by  the  one  named  as  its  writer.  For 
the  unearthing  of  striking  facts  from  the  mass  of  unsorted 
material  she  has  to  thank  another.  She  also  acknowledges 
indebtedness  to  the  before-mentioned  manuscript  of  Dr. 
Asa  Fitch  and  the  historical  sermon  of  Rev.  Wm.  A. 
Mackenzie. 

And  now,  kind  reader,  proceed  to  peruse. 


eotnntime  on  Tnvitdtiom 


MISS   FANNY    H.   WILLIAMS. 
MR.   WM.    McFARLAND.  MR.   DAVID.   H.  SAFFORD. 


Ibietorical  Sermon 

Preached  by  the  Pastor,  Rev,  David  Craig  Stewart, 
November  7,  1897. 

"  So  the  workmen  wrought,  and  the  work  was  perfected  by  them,  and  they 
set  the  house  of  God  in  his  state,  and  strengthened  it!' — 2  Chron.  xxiv.  13. 

I  liave  cliosen  these  words  not  for  the  purpose  of  dis- 
cussing them  in  connection  with  the  repairing  of  the  temple 
at  Jerusalem,  but  as  a  motto  rather,  under  which  to  speak 
of  the  building  of  this  house  of  God  in  Salem, 

It  is  said,  "There  are  only  two  things  worthy  a  man's 
ambition.  One  is  to  write  what  is  worthy  of  being  done, 
and  the  other  is  to  do  what  is  worthy  of  being  written, 
and  of  these  two  the  greater  is  the  doing."  In  the  one 
hundred  and  forty-six  years  since  the  organization  of  this 
congregation  in  the  green  isle  beyond  the  sea,  and  the  one 
hundred  and  thirty-first  since  its  transplanting  to  the  free 
and  consecrated  soil  of  America,  the  sons  and  daughters  of 
Salem  have  acted  well  their  part  in  the  great  drama  of  life. 
At  home  and  abroad,  in  church  and  state,  on  field  and  fo- 
rum, they  have  done  many  noble  deeds,  and  we  might  well 
feel  honored  in  reciting  them ;  but  such  is  not  our  purpose 
to-day.  In  the  near  future,  on  a  more  fitting  occasion  and 
by  the  pen  of  a  more  ready  writer,  they  will  be  recorded. 
But  of  the  fact  that  this  is  the  one  hundredth  anniver- 
sary of  the  erection  of  this  stately  building — the  "White 
Church  of  Salem" — in  which  we  have  gathered  to-day  to 
worship  our  God  and  our  fathers'  God,  and  that  for  a 
century  has  stood  a  silent  witness  for  the  truth  and  a  pro- 
test against  evil,  is  one  from  which  we  may  learn  some 


10  CENTENNIAL   CELEBRATION 

lessons  and  of  tlie  blessings  which  come  to  those  who- 
honor  God's  house. 

The  ancestry  of  a  people  has  mnch  to  do  in  determining 
the  attitude  in  which  they  stand  toward  holy  things. 
Descendants  of  the  New  England  Puritans  and  Scotch- 
Irish  settlers  of  this  country,  men  who  feared  God,  but  no 
other  pei'son  or  thing,  you  have  retained  this  reverence ; 
and  it  has  been  a  potent  factor  in  moulding  the  lives  and 
shaping  the  destinies  of  this  people. 

I  was  interested  to  note  this  fact — gleaned  from  your 
early  annals — that  the  name  of  this  town  for  many  years 
was  known  as  New  Perth. 

This  name,  in  connection  with  those  of  the  places  in 
which  the  congregation  was  organized,  suggest  at  once  the 
ancestry  of  your  people.  Monaghan  and  Ballibay  have  a 
distinct  flavor  of  the  land  of  the  Shamrock,  while  New 
Perth  is  at  once  suggestive  of  the  heathery  hills  of 
Scotland. 

Your  ancestors,  and  1  may  truly  say  our  ancestors — 
though  for  nearly  two  hundred  years  my  fathers  have 
boasted  of  that  proudest  of  all  earthly  titles,  an  American 
citizen — came  originally  from  the 

"  Land  of  brown  heath  and  shaggy  wood, 
Land  of  the  mountain  and  the  flood." 

We  have  in  our  veins  the  blood  of  that  hardy  race 
which  has  been  so  important  a  factor  in  subduing  the  wil- 
derness of  the  New  World  and  in  establishing  and  per- 
petuating our  free  institutions. 

It  is  said  of  the  Scotch-Irish  people  that  they  want  all 
the  good  things  they  see,  and  never  let  go  anything  they 
once  lay  their  hands  on. 

Undoubtedly  they  have  tenacity  of  purpose,  which  has 
made  them  the  successful  competitors  in  so  many  enter- 
prises. 

I  heard  "Ian  MacLaren"  say,  in  relating  incidents  of 


OF  OLD  WHITE  CHURCH.  n 

Scottish  character,  that  a  Scotchman  was  never  known  to 
yield  a  point,  though  always  ready  to  argue  the  merits  of 
the  question. 

To  the  "dourness"  of  the  original  Scotch  who  came  to 
this  country  by  the  way  of  Ireland,  there  was  added  a  new 
trait  during  their  sojourn  in  the  green  isle,  which,  com- 
bined and  developed  under  the  clear  skies  and  pure  free 
air  of  America,  have  produced  many  of  the  grandest  char- 
acters the  world  has  ever  known.  As  illustrative  of  the 
tenacity  of  the  Scotch-Irish,  an  incident,  related  by  the 
Rev.  Dr.  McCartee,  who  some  seventy  years  ago  was  one 
of  the  most  popular  clergymen  in  New  York  City,  may 
well  be  repeated.  Speaking  to  Mr,  Robert  Bonner,  the 
doctor  said  that  in  his  younger  days  he  had  two  prominent 
members  of  his  church  who  were  not  on  speaking  terms. 
One  was  Scotch,  the  other  Scotch-Irish.  They  had  quar- 
reled about  some  trivial  matter,  and  the  feeling  became 
very  bitter.  The  doctor  labored  for  a  long  time  to  recon- 
cile them ;  but  neither  could  be  moved.  At  last,  after  a 
serious  talk,  the  Scotchman  consented  to  meet  his  Scotch- 
Irish  fellow-member  in  a  friendly  manner  and  let  by-gones 
be  by-gones.  The  doctor  then  went  to  the  Scotch-Irishman ; 
but  he  was  as  firm  as  ever :  he  did  not  want  anything  to  do 
with  "that  man."  Finally  the  doctor  bore  down  on  him 
pretty  hard,  urging  upon  him  his  duty  as  a  Christian,  and 
asking  him  :  ' '  How  can  you  expect  to  be  forgiven  if  you 
will  not  forgive?"  When  the  Scotch-Irishman,  with  great 
emotion,  while  trying  to  conquer  his  feeling,  exclaimed  : 
"Yes,  yes;  I'll  forgive  him,  but  I  want  to  get  one  good 
crack  at  him  first." 

We  do  not  wonder  our  ancestors  desired  to  call  their 
home  in  the  New  World  by  that  name,  associated  with  so 
many  glorious  events  in  the  history  of  Scotland.  We 
could  easily  believe  that  to  those  who  desired  a  change  they 
would  "have  granted  ye"  there  was  room  for  argument; 
but  our  wonder  is  that,  even  under  the  benign  influences  of 


12  CENTENNIAL   CELEBRATION 

the  New  World,  tliey  could  have  so  readily  yielded  a 
controversy,  and  accepted  the  beautiful  title  of  Salem — 
"City  of  Peace." 

Early  associations  have  much  to  do  in  shaping  our  lives 
and  training  our  aspirations,  and  can  never  be  wholly  for- 
gotten. One  hundred  years  of  uninterrupted  service  in 
this  house,  dedicated  to  the  worship  of  God,  by  our  fathers, 
who  in  this  Western  World  sought  "freedom  to  worship 
God,"  means  much  in  privileges  and  responsibilities  to 
those  who  are  children  of  this  Church — means  much  to  the 
community  in  which  this  building  stands. 

In  the  Old  World  I  have  stood  on  ground  which  for 
more  than  a  thousand  years  has  been  made  sacred  as  a 
place  of  worship — where  Pagan  and  Christian  alike  have 
made  their  supplications  according  to  the  knowledge  they 
had  and  the  light  they  possessed — ground  that  had  been 
made  forever  memorable  as  the  battle-ground  between 
truth  and  error. 

And  as  I  stood  in  silent  meditation  thinking  on  what 
the  hand  of  God  had  wrought  in  the  history  of  the  world, 
the  spectral  form  of  the  centuries  seemed  to  pass  in  grand 
review  before  me. 

About  me  were  scattered  the  ruins  of  heathen  altars  ; 
but  the  names  of  those  who  built  them  and  offered 
incense  at  their  shrine  have  been  forgotten,  or,  if  known  at 
all,  only  remembered  because  Christianity  has  preserved 
them  from  oblivion  by  numbering  them  among  her  enemies. 

"The  memory  of  the  just  is  blessed;  but  the  name  of  the  wicked  shall 
rot." 

All  around  me  were  the  evidences  of  a  Christian  civiliza- 
tion, while  in  the  magnificent  temples  reared  to  the  glory 
of  God  I  saw  the  triumph  of  the  cross  and  the  fulfillment 
of  the  promises  of  the  Christians'  Lord. 

To-day  is  a  time  and  here  is  a  place  for  meditation. 
With  some  of  you  whose  lives  reach  back  to  the  time  when 


OF   OLD  WHITE   CHURCH.  13 

this  old  Church  was  new — memory  is  busy — you  recall  the 
days  of  old ;  you  think  of  the  fathers  and  mothers  in  Israel 
who  "rest  from  their  labors;"  of  the  companions  by  the 
way,  many  of  whom  have  long  since  been  called  to  their 
reward;  you  think  of  the  trials  you  have  borne  and  the 
victories  you  have  won,  and,  with  tears  of  memory  and 
smiles  of  hope,  rejoice  in  the  goodness  of  God  to  you  in  the 
land  of  the  living. 

And  as  the  glory  of  this  house  surpasses  the  glory  of 
those  of  earlier  years,  as  the  present  exceeds  in  opjDortunity 
the  past,  so  may  the  future  be  more  fruitful  as  strength- 
ened by  past  memories  of  what  God  has  done,  and  you 
go  forth  to  greater  efforts  and  grander  triumphs. 

The  power  of  these  local  associations  cannot  be  over- 
estimated. It  influences  all,  but  is  most  thrilling  to  minds 
of  the  most  delicate  tone.  Says  Dr.  Johnson:  "To 
abstract  the  mind  from  all  local  emotion  would  be  impos- 
sible if  it  were  endeavored,  and  would  be  foolish  if  it  were 
possible.  Whatever  withdraws  us  from  the  power  of  the 
senses ;  whatever  makes  the  past,  the  distant,  or  the  future 
predominate  over  the  present,  advances  us  in  the  dignity 
of  thinking  beings.''  We  would  not  envy  the  man  whose 
piety  would  not  grow  warmer  as  he  stood  in  the  old  Grey 
Friars'  churchyard  in  the  city  of  Edinburgh,  and  beside  the 
stone  on  which  his  ancestors  had  signed  the  Solemn  League 
and  Covenant  in  their  blood ;  or  the  man  whose  patriotism 
would  not  gain  force  as  he  stood  on  Bunker  Hill,  where  his 
fathers  had  died  to  establish,  or  on  the  heights  of  Gettys- 
burg, where  his  brothers  had  fought  to  maintain,  our  Federal 
Union. 

But  moral  associations  are  the  most  affecting.  Places 
which  have  been  the  scenes  of  great  events  have  an  irre- 
sistible attraction  for  a  susceptible  heart  and  cultivated 
mind.  Shadowy  forms  are  all  around  us,  and  we  seem  to 
see  them  acting  and  hear  them  speaking  as  if  actually 
present  with  us. 


14  CENTENNIAL   CELEBRATION 

Such  associations  move  us  more  profoundly  and  stir  our 
souls  to  greater  depths  than  to  listen  to  a  recital  of  their 
deeds,  or  read  the  products  of  their  genius.  Under  such 
influences  new  impulses  take  possession  of  us,  and  we  are 
lifted  into  a  higher  life  and  moved  to  nobler  deeds. 

Here  the  w^orkmen  wrought  one  hundred  years  ago. 
How  well  they  wrought,  let  this  magnificent  building, 
which  has  stood  the  changes  of  a  century,  and  bids  fair  to 
stand  another  century,  bear  witness.  The  minds  that 
planned,  the  hands  that  fashioned,  and  the  hearts  whose 
love  sustained  the  work,  have  long  since  passed  away, 
but  ''their  works  do  follow  them."  The  grand  men,  who, 
as  laborers  together  with  God,  have  stood  in  this  pulpit 
and  proclaimed  the  everlasting  Gospel,  have  many  of  them 
long  since  gone  to  their  reward.  Others  still  remain,  to 
enjoy  the  fruits  of  their  labor  here,  and  continue  to  serve 
their  Master  in  other  fields.  They  were  workmen  all, 
"who  needed  not  to  be  ashamed." 

They  wrought  upon  human  hearts,  and  helped  to  fashion 
lives  that  shall  endure  as  temples  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
While  we  pay  our  tribute  of  respect  to  their  memory,  let 
"US  honor  them  more  by  seeking  to  preserve  inviolable  the 
Inheritance  transmitted  to  our  care. 

"  The  lot  to  me  that  fell 
Is  beautiful  and  fair  ; 
The  heritage  in  which  I  dwell, 
None  can  with  it  compare." 

The  records  which  have  been  preserved  tell  us  that,  at  a 
congregational  meeting,  held  in  March,  1796,  it  was  decided 
to  build  this  house,  and  that  it  was  completed  November 
1,  1797.  We  may  reasonably  infer  that  it  was  used  for 
worship  the  first  Sabbath  of  November,  which  wjis  just  one 
hundred  years  ago  to-day. 

One  hundred  years  ago !  How  short  the  time  as  we 
measure  it  in  this  rushing  busy  age !  How  long  ago  as  we 
look  upon  the  changes  that  have  taken  place  and  the  work 


OF   OLD  WHITE  CHURCH. 


15 


that  lias  been  done.  There  are  among  you  lives  which 
almost  connect  us  with  that  time ;  a  score  of  such  lives 
would  carry  us  back  to  the  days  of  Jesus  Christ.  The 
Word  seems  very  near  us.  That  audience  which  assembled 
here  a  hundred  years  ago  is  doubtless  viewing  with 
interest  our  proceedings  here  to-day.  Turn  back  the  pages 
of  history ;  draw  aside  the  curtains  of  the  past :  and  we 
stand  in  the  i:>i'esence  of  that  vast  assembly  who  were  glad 
when  it  was  said  unto  them,  "Let  us  go  up  to  the  house  of 
the  Lord," 

We  look  upon  the  revered  and  venerable  form  of  that 
master  in  Israel,  Dr.  James  Proudfit,  who  had  fallen  upon 
the  high  places  of  the  field,  but  still  lived  to  see  his  son, 
Alexander,  "mighty  in  word  and  deed,"  go  before  the 
people  to  lead  them  in  the  way  of  life. 

With  bowed  heads  the  people  stand  before  the  Lord  to 
receive  the  blessing  invoked  by  the  servant  of  God. 
How  their  hearts  must  have  thrilled  with  joy,  and  how 
these  walls  must  have  echoed  with  their  glad  songs  as  they 
sang: 

"The  Lord  hath  done  great  things  for  us, 
Whence  joy  to  us  is  brought." 

What  a  contrast  between  then  and  now !  Not  so  much 
in  the  spirit  in  which  they  came  together,  or  the  character 
of  the  worship  which  they  offered,  but  in  the  circumstances 
by  which  they  were  surrounded. 

Here  was  "the  forest  primeval."  Our  fathers  were 
making  for  themselves  homes  in  the  then  almost  unbroken 
wilderness.  Theirs  was  not  a  day  of  fable  and  legend, 
which  could  transmute  a  dim  conjecture  into  romantic 
fact.  Their  lives  were  full  of  toil,  but  their  hearts  were 
full  of  hope.  By  open  fires,  in  their  rude  cabins,  they 
"remembered  Zion,"  and  from  altars  of  prayer  there  went 
up  the  morning  and  evening  sacrifice. 

Trembling  among  the  trees,  and  echoing  softly  among 
the  hills,  were  the  songs  of  Zion.     The  rush  of  trains  and 


i6  CENTENNIAL   CELEBRATION 

the  busy  hum  of  trade  disturbed  not  the  deep  quiet  of  the 
Sabbath. 

The  squirrel  might  play  undisturbed  at  the  door,  or  the 
deer  might  drink  -with  impunity  at  the  spring,  for  there 
was  a  "holy  resting  all  that  day,  even  from  such  worldly 
employments  and  recreations  as  are  lawful  on  other 
days."  In  the  fear  of  the  Lord  they  laid  deep  and  strong 
the  foundation  of  the  prosperity  and  comforts  we  to-day 
enjoy. 

We  are  living  amid  scenes  which  memory  has  sanctified, 
history  commemorated,  and  poetry  adorned.  Every  stream 
has  its  hallowed  associations,  every  field  its  tale  of  blood 
and  sacrifice,  and  "not  a  mountain  lifts  its  head  unsung," 
or  is  unworthy  of  heroic  strains. 

Although  the  external  aspect  of  nature  has  changed 
under  the  influence  of  our  New  World  enterprise,  although 
science  and  art  are  multiplying  their  monuments  all  around, 
and  many  vestiges  of  the  primitive  wilderness  have  been 
swept  away,  still 

"A  spirit  hangs, 
Beautiful  region,  o'er  thy  towns  and  farms." 

This  is  our  inheritance.  But  how  close  this  venerable 
building  links  us  to  the  past !  No  transforming  change 
has  been  made  since  it  first  echoed  the  worship  of  our 
fathers,  a  hundred  years  ago. 

There  may  have  been  less  fire  in  the  building  and  more 
fire  in  the  puli^it  than  now,  but  the  fervor  of  the  hearers 
did  not  prevent  their  feet  from  getting  cold,  as  is  evidenced 
from  the  fact  that  an  order  from  the  trustees  to  the  sexton 
instructed  him  carefully  to  look  after  any  foot-stoves  that 
might  be  left  in  the  pews  after  the  congregation  had  been 
dismissed.  True,  there  may  have  been  some  necessary 
additions  and  repairs,  but  we  are  none  the  worse  for  some 
of  the  comforts  adapted  to  our  modern  civilization.  But 
the  changes  have  been  immaterial;  so  well  had  the  work- 
men wrought,   so  carefully  had  they  built,  that  we  look 


OF   OLD  WHITE   CHURCH.  \^ 

to-day  upon  the  same  walls  which  sheltered  our  fathers,  a 
hundred  years  ago.  We  look  upon  the  pews  where  there 
are  seated  those  to-day  who  are  the  fifth  generation  of 
those  that  loved  God  and  kept  His  commandments. 

Instead  of  the  fathers,  God  has  taken  the  children,  and 
amid  the  rush  of  memories  to-day  we  seem  to  see  the 
shadowy  hands  of  our  fathers  stretched  across  the  chasm 
of  one  hundred  years  and  resting  in  benediction  upon  our 
heads. 

There  are  cold-blooded  men  who  speak  with  contempt 
of  that  reverence  in  which  we  hold  a  Christian  temple  as 
God's  i^eculiar  dwelling-place. 

They  look  upon  it  as  only  so  much  wood  and  stone,  or 
brick  and  mortar ;  and  Sabbath-breakers  would  bring  to 
themselves  some  salve  for  a  guilty  conscience  in  sentimental 
talk  of  the  "groves  as  God's  first  temple." 

But  the  Biblical  idea  of  the  place  where  God  is  wor- 
shii^ed  is  represented  everywhere  in  the  Word  as  one  of 
peculiar  and  awful  solemnity. 

The  forests  waved  their  branches  just  as  majestically 
and  invitingly  in  nature' s  temples  when  Abraham  journeyed 
three  days  to  Mount  Moriah,  that  in  a  definite  and  becom- 
ing place  he  might  meet  and  worship  God. 

The  stars  of  an  Oriental  sky  shone  just  as  resplendent 
as  now  on  that  night  when  Jacob,  his  head  pillowed  upon 
a  stone,  slept  upon  a  Syrian  plain  and  discovered  before 
morning  that  God  was  there.  He  called  the  place  Bethel, 
and  said,  "How  dreadful  is  this  place !  This  is  none  other 
than  the  house  of  God  ;  and  this  is  the  gate  of  Heaven." 

The  temj)le,  which  was  the  crowning  glory  of  Solomon's 
magnificent  reign,  and  which  was  so  sacred  that  neither 
sound  of  axe  nor  hammer  was  heard  in  its  building,  was 
rich  and  beautiful  in  its  furnishings  almost  beyond  our 
conception ;  but  it  was  God' s  conception  as  a  house  for  His 
worship.  He  says,  "  I  have  hallowed  this  place  to  put  My 
name  there  forever." 


i8  CENTENNIAL   CELEBRATION 

Such  is  the  Scriptural  idea  of  the  sacredness  of  God's 
house,  "The  holy  place,  the  place  where  Mine  honor 
dwelleth." 

The  associations  of  God's  house  are  very  helpful  in 
forming  and  building  up  our  religious  character.  More 
than  we  know  or  think,  we  are  influenced  by  our  surround- 
ings. The  recollection  of  our  experiences  in  the  house  of 
God  is  among  our  most  precious  memories. 

We  recall  the  prayers  we  have  heard,  and  the  old  songs 
of  Zion  still  ring  sweetly  in  our  ears.  Some  sermon  we 
heard  in  our  youthful  days  still  helps  us  in  our  mature 
years. 

We  feel  yet  the  soft  pressure  of  our  mother's  hand  to 
quiet  our  childish  restlessness,  and  see  again  the  kindly 
look  of  father  bent  upon  us  in  mild  reproof.  A  flow  of 
holy  memories  rush  upon  us  to  quicken  our  spiritual 
impulses  and  help  us  to  a  purer  and  holier  life.  "'They 
are  the  golden  vials  full  of  odors.'  They  come  back  to  us 
in  after  years,  'trailing  clouds  of  glory.'  They  make 
the  very  walls  of  the  house  of  God  eloquent.  '  The 
stone  cries  out  of  the  wall,  and  the  beam  out  of  the 
timber  answers  it,'  The  very  silence  of  the  place  on  a 
week-day  is  more  potent  than  angels'  voices." 

' '  O  thou  homely  meeting-house  of  my  youth,  God  bless 
thee !  If  I  forget  thee,  let  my  right  hand  forget  her  cun- 
ning ;  if  I  do  not  remember  thee,  let  my  tongue  cleave  to 
the  roof  of  my  mouth."  And  so  "we  recall  the  years  of 
the  right  hand  of  the  Most  High,"  and  honor  this  house  of 
God  to-day.  We  rejoice  that  in  this  Salem  is  His  tabernacle. 
May  it  last  as  long  as  the  sun  and  moon  endure :  a  place  to 
which  the  tribes  of  Israel  in  future  generations  may  repair ; 
where  Zion's  weary  pilgrims  may  find  comfort,  and  where 
the  weary,  sin-sick  soul  may  find  rest. 

But  I  would  not  close  this  address  without  a  loving 
invitation  to  all  who  have  not  "tasted  and  seen  that  the 
Lord  is  good  and  gracious,"  and  especially  to  the  children 


OF   OLD  WHITE    CHURCH.  ig 

of  this  congregation  who  have  not  said  of  their  fathers' 
God,  "He  is  my  Lord,"  to  "come  with  us  and  we  will  do 
yon  good."  By  the  sacred  memories  of  the  past,  by  the 
gracious  opportunities  of  the  present,  by  the  glorious  hopes 
for  the  future,  I  plead  with  you,  in  Christ's  name,  to  come 
unto  him  and  He  will  give  you  rest. 

And  thus  we  close  the  service  of  a  hundred  years,  in 
which  God' s  people  have  come  to  this  house  to  ' '  worshi}3 
before  the  Lord  in  the  beauty  of  holiness ; "  and,  as  we  enter 
upon  the  second  century  of  service  together,  may  it  be  with 
the  prayer  of  the  Psalmist  trembling  upon  our  lips  : 

"  Now  Thy  light  and  truth  forth  sending, 
Let  them  lead  and  guide  me  still; 
Guide  me  to  Thy  house  ascending, 
.  Lead  me  to  Thy  holy  hill." 


And  so- 


"Thy  mercies  which  most  tender  are. 
To  mind  do  I  recall ; 
And  loving  kindnesses  for  they 
Have  been  through  ages  all." 

Amen. 


Imagine  yourselves — on  returning  from  the  Memorial 
Chapel  of  a  sister  congregation,  where  a  rich  and  boun- 
teous repast  of  turkey  and  plum-pudding  had  been  fur- 
nished— now  seated  in  the  "White  Church,"  adorned  as 
seen  in  the  picture,  but  the  recess  filled  with  an  imposing 
crowd  of  those  who  were  to  speak,  and  ' '  lend  them  your 
ears." 


Mbite  Cburcb"  BuilMng  CcntcnmaL 


7:15  O'CLOCK  P.  M. 


Invocation, Rev.  D.  C.  Stewart 

Chairman, Abner  Robertson,  Esq. 

Anthem. 

Reading  of  Scripture,         .         .         .     Rev.  G.  C.  Morehouse 

Psalm   loo: 

"  All  people  that  on  earth  do  dwell, 

Sing  to  the  Lord  with  cheerful  voice. 
Him  serve  with  mirth,  His  praise  forth  tell, 
Come  ye  before  Him  and  rejoice. 

"  Because  the  Lord,  our  God,  is  good. 
His  mercy  is  forever  sure ; 
His  truth  at  all  times  firmly  stood, 
And  shall  from  age  to  age  endure." 

Prayer, Rev.  E.  P.  Sprague,  D.  D. 

Historical  Sketch,  .  .  .  Miss  Fanny  H.  Williams 
Anthem. 

Lines  Written  for  the  Occasion. 

Letters  from  Old  Friends,  .  .  Read  by  John  King,  Esq. 
"The  Present,"  ....  Rev.  T.  B.  Turnbull,  D.  D. 
Anthem. 

"A  Glimpse  at  the  Future,"      .         .  Rev.  W.  S.  McEachron 
Congratulations.     Benediction.     Social  Hour. 


Celebration  of  the  One  Hundredth  Anniversary  of  the  Church 
Building  of  the  U.  P.  Church  of  Salem,  N.  Y.,  Tuesday,  Nov.  pth, 
1897,  7:«5  o'clock  P.  M.    Abner  Robertson,  Esq,,  of  Salem,  Chairman. 


Remarks  by  the  Pastor,  Rev.  D.  Craig  Stewart. 

We  are  glad  to  greet  you  all.  The  occasion  which 
brings  us  together  is  a  very  peculiar  one  and  a  very  happy 
one,  as  we  come  together  to  celebrate  the  one  hundredth 
anniversary  of  the  erection  of  this  Church  building.  It  is 
one  in  which  certainly  not  any  who  are  present  here 
to-night  will  ever  participate  again  in  the  same  capacity. 
But  we  are  glad  that  we  are  among  the  living  who  witness 
it  to-night;  and,  as  we  enter  upon  the  service,  let  us  unite 
in  invoking  the  divine  blessing. 

Oh  Thou  who  art  the  God  of  our  fathers,  we  praise 
Thee ;  Thou  who  art  our  God,  we  worship  before  Thy  foot- 
stool and  offer  unto  Thee  to-night  the  tribute  of  grateful 
hearts  as  we  come  together.  And  we  pray  that  the  blessing 
of  the  Lord  may  rest  upon  us,  and  may  we  have  the 
guidance  of  His  Spirit  in  all  things.  Do  Thou  direct  us, 
each  one,  as  we  shall  take  our  several  parts  in  the  exercises 
of  this  occasion.  Bless  Thy  servants  who  shall  speak  to 
us;  and  bless,  we  pray  Thee,  the  words  which  they  may 
bring  to  each  one  of  us.  And,  as  we  recall  the  blessings 
of  the  past,  as  we  enjoy  the  blessings  of  the  present,  and  as 
we  look  forward  hojjefully  to  the  future,  we  pray  that  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord,  which  has  guided  those  who  have  gone 
before  us  in  the  days  and  years  gone  by,  may  not  only 
abide  with  us  in  our  hearts  and  in  our  homes,  but  may  so 
lead  and  guide  us  in  the  journey  of  life  that  we  may  be 


24  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

brought  at  last  unto  the  perfect  Man.  And  may  the  good- 
ness and  the  mercy,  which  has  followed  us  all  the  days  of 
our  lives,  still  continue  to  lead  and  guide  us  until  at  last 
God's  house  shall  receive  us.  We  ask  it  in  Jesus'  name. 
Amen. 

It  is  now  my  pleasant  duty  to  introduce  the  chairman 
of  the  evening,  who  will  take  charge  of  the  exercises — Mr. 
Abner  Robertson. 


Remarks  by  Mr.  Abner  Robertson. 

Ladies  and  Gentlemen  and  Friends:  I  attended  a 
meeting  last  year  out  of  town — I  wish  to  impress  upon 
you  all  the  fact  that  it  was  out  of  town — which  was  pre- 
sided over  by  a  gentleman  of  distinguished  presence  and 
dignified  mien,  and  to  my  mind  he  presided  over  it  satis- 
factorily; but  the  next  day  I  heard  a  couple  of  citizens  of 
that  town  discussing  the  meeting,  and  one  of  them  remarked, 
"What  an  elegant  chairman  Mr.  So-and-so  would  have 
made  if  he  had  only  kept  his  mouth  shut."  Now,  I  do 
not  intend  to  run  any  risk  of  that  kind,  not  to  any  great 
extent.  I  only  wish  to  say  that  upon  this  occasion  we 
are  here  to  do  honor  to  this  ancient  temple,  reared  for  the 
service  of  the  Almighty  God  of  the  universe,  and  at  the 
same  time  we  are  doing  honor  to  ourselves. 

The  old  "  White  Church  "  owes  no  debts.  Speaking  from 
a  commercial  standpoint,  it  has  paid  par  and  one  hundred 
per  cent,  premium  on  all  of  its  stock  to  all  of  its  stock- 
holders. There  is  no  man,  woman,  or  child,  living  or  dead, 
that  can  claim  that  he  or  she  has  not  received  full  value 
for  all  the  services  performed  in  this  old  temple.  And  the 
thought  has  struck  me  to-night,  since  I  have  been  sitting 
here,  that  perhajDS  my  name  would  live  the  longer  for  the 
part  I  am  taking  here  this  evening.  This  Church  has  stood 
for  one  hundred  years.     Although  I  am  no  prophet,  nor 


OF   OLD   WHITE   CHURCH.  25 

even  the  son  of  a  deacon,  I  still  will  venture  to  say  that  it 
will  stand  here  another  century  still  to  come.  To  para- 
phrase from  one  of  the  poets : 

"  Men  may  come  and  men  may  go, 
But  the  church  goes  on  forever." 

But,  whether  this  particular  edifice  will  stand  here  or 
not,  I  feel  safe  in  asserting,  without  fear  of  serious  contra- 
diction, that  it,  or  another  one,  will  stand  here  on  this  spot 
one  hundred  years  from  to-night,  and  that  the  centennial 
celebration  will  be  then  renewed.  And  it  may  be  that 
some  one  who  is  then  interested  in  the  Church  will  look 
back  at  the  old  record  to  see  who  presided  a  hundred  years 
ago  when  they  celebrated  the  centennial  of  the  "White 
Church"  in  Salem.  And  he  will  look  at  the  records,  and 
say,  perhaps,  "Well,  it  is  a  little  dim,  but  I  think  his 
name  was  Robertson.  Well,  who  was  he  ?  I  don't  know. 
He  is  dead,  but  he  might  have  been  a  pretty  decent  sort  of 
a  man.  He  lived  in  Salem,  and  his  given  name  is  taken  from 
the  Bible;  but,  then,  his  parents  probably  gave  him  the 
name:  he  wasn't  to  blame  for  that."  And  so,  when  I 
might  otherwise  be  forgotten,  I  may  be  remembered  on 
account  of  this  evening.  And  so  I  again  assert  that  the 
old  "White  Church"  always  pays  its  debts. 

It  has  been  my  good  fortune  during  the  past  eight 
months  to  visit  a  number  of  ancient  and  historical  churches 
in  this  country  I  visited  the  church  in  Alexandria,  Ya., 
in  which  Gen.  Washington  worshiped  while  he  resided  at 
Mount  Vernon,  and  sat  in  the  pew  which  he  and  his  family 
occupied;  the  old  church  is  preserved  in  its  interior  in 
just  the  same  form  as  it  was  then.  I  visited  the  old  South 
Church  in  Boston,  which,  during  the  Revolutionary  War, 
the  British  used  as  a  training  and  riding  school  for  their 
cavalry,  and  in  the  gallery  of  which  Gen.  Washington 
stood  after  the  British  had  been  driven  out  of  the  city;  I 
should  have  thought  that  the   British,   who  have  such 


26  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

regard  for  their  own  churches,  would  have  liad  some  re- 
spect for  those  of  others.  I  visited  the  old  Christ  Chnreli 
in  Boston,  from  the  belfry  of  which  Paul  Revere  flashed 
out  his  light,  throwing  the  signal  across  the  water  to  his 
comrades  of  the  proposed  intentions  of  the  British,  which 
light  is  still  flashing  over  this  country  and  will  continue  to 
flash  as  long  as  the  spirit  of  liberty  shall  live.  I  visited 
the  old  Christ  Church  at  Marblehead,  of  historical  interest. 
And  perhaps  the  most  interesting  of  all:  the  old  Roger 
Williams  Church,  in  Salem,  Mass.,  the  first  Protestant 
church  of  worship  erected  in  America ;  it  is  jjreserved 
to-day  as  it  was  a  hundred  years  ago;  it  is  about  the  size 
of  two  of  the  church-sheds  contiguous  to  this  Church,  and 
the  architecture  is  almost  as  plain. 

And,  while  looking  on  these  ancient  and  historical 
churches,  my  mind  would  continually  revert  to  another 
Church,  in  the  village  of  my  birth  and  the  village  of  my 
heart — the  Church  that  I  love,  the  Church  in  which  my 
spiritual  life  commenced,  and  in  which  I  trust  I  shall  con- 
tinue to  worship  as  long  as  God  shall  spare  my  life.  Other 
and  more  eloquent  lips  will  tell  you  all  the  good  this 
Church  has  done  to  this  community  and  the  surrounding 
communities,  and  I  will  not  speak  on  that  subject;  but  I 
will  only  pray  that  the  Church  may  continue  in  the  future, 
as  it  has  been  in  the  past,  to  be  a  blessing  to  this  commu- 
nity and  to  all  the  people  who  worship  therein.  May  God 
grant  my  prayer. 


INTERIOR 
1897 


Ibistorical  Sketcb. 

By  Miss  Fanny  H.  Williams. 

The  question  has  been  frequently  asked,  and  most 
naturally,  since  this  evening' s  observance  has  been  talked 
of,  ' '  Is  it  the  original  Church  edifice  of  the  Salem  congre- 
gation?" To  the  query  we  begin  by  replying,  "No:  the 
third."  And  as,  in  a  biography,  the  father  is  always  men- 
tioned, and  possibly  the  grandfather,  so  the  ancestral  line 
of  this  venerable  structure  must  receive  due  notice. 

It  was  in  1766  that  the  congregation  settled  in  Salem, 
coming  across  bodily  from  the  old  country — pastor,  elders, 
people.  The  same  year  they  erected  the  "meeting  house," 
as  such  places  of  worship  were  then  termed.  "This  was 
the  first  of  the  kind  in  all  the  region  north  from  Albany  to 
the  Canada  line;"  therefore  remarkable,  though  it  was 
only  a  rough  log  cabin.  It  was  in  the  south  part  of  the 
village.  But  do  not  confuse  it  with  the  "  Old  Meeting 
House"  we  now  see  there.  That  was  the  second  in  the 
line  of  succession.  The  congregation  outgrew  their  first 
little  home ;  therefore  the  "framed"  house  was  built:  it 
dates  back  before  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  was  looked 
upon  as  a  magnificent  edifice  by  those  afar  as  well  as  near, 
"Have  you  seen  the  meeting  house  at  New  Perth?"  one 
would  ask  another.  ' '  That  is  a  sight  worth  seeing. ' '  Poor 
old  dingy  thing  we  regard  it  now.  But  the  Word  of  the 
Lord  was  there  proclaimed  by  His  faithful  messengers,  Dr. 
Clark  and  Drs.  James  and  Alexander  Proudfit.  The  pres- 
entation of  the  pure  Gospel  proved  all-sufl[icient  to  attract 
hearers.  The  crowds  who  assembled  from  week  to  week 
"flew  as  the  doves  to  their  windows,"  for  all  could  not 
find  room  within.    The  necessity  for  a  larger  edifice  was  thus 


28  CENTENiNIAL   CELEBRATION 

shown.  At  a  meeting  of  the  congregation  in  March,  1796, 
it  was  voted  to  build  another  sanctuary,  double  the  size  of 
the  old;  the  new  one  was  to  be  60  feet  long,  50  feet  wide. 

And  so  the  old  "  White  Church"  was  begun.  Eighteen 
months  it  was  in  building :  a  contrast  to  the  rapid  manner 
in  which  such  undertakings  are  now  carried  on.  Contrast, 
for  instance,  the  United  Presbyterian  Chapel  near  Chicago  : 
arranged  for  one  Friday,  erected  Saturday,  worshiped  in 
on  the  Sabbath.  But  those  w^alls,  run  up  so  speedily,  will 
not  probably  be  standing  a  century  hence;  whereas  ours, 
wooden  though  they  are,  seem  likely  to  remain  when  the 
written  date  is  1997. 

One  of  the  requisites  voted  on  at  that  March  meeting 
was  a  steeple.  The  spire  now  pointing  towards  heaven  is 
not  the  same;  that  did  not  withstand  the  shocks  of  time  so 
well.  It  was  struck  by  lightning  twice,  but  not  consumed. 
The  tradition  is  that,  on  the  first  occasion,  "Deacon" 
Beatties's  wife,  living  across  the  street,  saw  the  flames, 
rushed  over,  barefooted,  broke  open  the  Church  door, 
pulled  the  bell,  so  giving  the  alarm,  and  the  fire  was 
extinguished  with  buckets. 

In  the  new  Church  was  a  very  high,  narrow  pulpit, 
originally  with  a  stupendous  sounding-board,  which 
aroused  the  apprehensions  of  the  preacher,  Dr.  Alex. 
Proudfit.  At  his  entreaty  it  was  taken  down.  The  pulpit 
itself  was  lowered  the  first  time  the  Church  was  repaired; 
later  on  a  white  marble  desk  with  Egyptian  pillars  was 
presented.  From  behind  this  were  poured  forth  the  spiritual 
words  of  the  Proudfits,  the  fervid  Scotch  eloquence  of  Dr. 
Halley,  the  substantial  discourses  of  Mr.  Lillie,  the  terse 
sentences  of  Rev.  Thomas  Farrington,  the  sonorous  speech 
of  Mr.  Forsyth,  and  for  five  years  the  soul-stirring  voice 
of  Rev.  Wm.  A  Mackenzie.  The  other  twenty,  of  his 
quarter  of  a  century's  occupancy,  his  sermons  were  deliv- 
ered from  the  desk  now  standing  here.  This  was  the  gift  of 
Henry  Archibald.     The  white  pulpit  is  still  in  a  state  of 


OF   OLD   WHITE   CHURCH,  29 

preservation,  waiting  for  some  other  change :  the  putting 
in  of  a  pipe-organ,  may  be,  to  bring  it  out  of  its  hiding- 
place. 

There  were  26  square  pews  in  the  Church,  136  seats  in 
all,  including  those  in  the  gallery;  there  are  120  now  down- 
stairs. And  in  those  seats,  last  Sabbath,  when  the  anni- 
versary sermon  was  preached,  sat  the  fifth  generation  of 
those  who  worshiped  in  the  building  used  for  the  first 
time  100  years  before.  In  the  identical  pew  owned  by  the 
Thompsons  was  Clarence  Ladd;  and  in  the  slips  near  the 
center  of  the  Church,  Raymond  Cruikshank — fifth  de- 
scendant of  one  son,  Mabel  Henrietta,  in  the  fourth  line, 
daughter  of  another. 

The  "White  Church"  was  an  expensive  erection  for 
those  days ;  four  thousand  dollars  being  required.  This  was 
mostly  devoted  to  the  purchase  of  materials,  for  much  of 
the  labor  was  free.  Many  a  "bee"  was  had  to  helj)  on 
the  work.  Our  venerable  friend,  Capt,  James  Thomjpson, 
relates  his  remembrance  of  a  tale  oft  recounted  by  Col. 
John  Steele :  how  the  latter,  as  a  baby,  was  brought  by  his 
mother  and  left  to  roll  around  on  the  grass,  while  she 
helped  to  supply  with  a  lunch  the  busy  farmers  who  had 
"lent  a  hand"  all  day  at  the  building. 

Mr,  Walter  Martin  was  the  contractor  and  engaged  an 
architect  from  Sturbridge,  Mass,,  famed  for  his  skill. 

When  the  time  came  for  raising  the  money  needed  for 
paying  the  $4,000  the  pews  were  sold  at  auction.  Some  of 
those  are  still  "  owned"  by  the  descendants  of  the  original 
buyers.  But  those  who  thus  possessed  the  seats  rented 
the  same  at  a  fixed  rate,  thus  contributing  towards  the 
Church  expenses.  So  generous  were  these  buyers  that, 
after  the  $4,000  was  expended,  according  to  contract,  there 
remained  a  residue  of  $200,  which  was  divided  among  the 
committee. 

This  proceeding  was  strictly  regular,  it  having  been 
voted  on,  at  a  congregational  meeting,  that  these  men  were 


30  CENTENNIAL   CELEBRATION 

entitled  to  it  as  a  recompense  for  their  time  and  labor, 
although  it  was  undertaken  by  them  entirely  as  a  labor 
of  love. 

We  note  from  time  to  time  in  the  Church  records  that, 
when  additional  sums  were  needed  for  repairs  or  alterations, 
those  in  ofRce  had  no  hesitation  in  laying  a  tax  on  the 
pews,  demanding,  as  it  were,  such  and  such  sums.  Nor 
do  we  read  of  any  objections  to  such  assessments,  though 
the  money  was  not  always  paid. 

It  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  observe  here  that  the 
system  of  pew  rents  has  been  abolished.  The  "envelope 
system,"  or  voluntary  pledge,  has  taken  its  place. 

Let  us  retrace  our  steps  and  read  this  paragraph : 

1841. — ^''  Resolved,  That  the  young  men  subscribing  are 
entitled  to  a  credit  of  the  amount  of  their  subscription 
whenever  they  may  choose  to  purchase  a  slip." 

The  names  are:  John  Williams,  Jr.,  Wm.  McFarlane, 
Alex.  Robertson,  Henry  Matthews,  A.  M.  Proudiit,  John 
W.  Proudfit,  Alvin  Goodrich. 

The  repairs  were  to  the  amount  of  $3,000,  and  consisted 
of  new  floor,  new  chimneys,  from  top  to  bottom,  new  win- 
dow-sashes, etc. ;  also  arch  and  cornice  overhead.  Glance 
up  and  you  can  see  the  cornice  there  now. 

Some  years  before  that  (in  1810)  record  is  found  of  an 
assessment,  the  object  of  raising  the  money  being  to  pur- 
chase a  bell.  It  was  not  to  exceed  660  j)ounds,  so  as  not  to 
be  too  heavy  for  the  steeple  (it  is  supposed).  Its  call  has 
not  been  loud.  Newer  and  weightier  metal  voices  mingle 
with  and  almost  drown  it  now;  but  yet  for  eighty-seven 
years  it  has  been  pealing  forth,  "Come!  come!  come!" 
and  the  people  have  come,  nor  have  they  ever  been  turned 
away  unblessed. 

In  one  sense  it  is  the  identical  bell,  in  another  the  suc- 
cession of  its  metallic  preaching  has  been  broken;  for 
during   a  lire  it  was  cracked:  some  say  by  falling,  some 


OF   OLD   WHITE   CHURCH.  31 

declare  by  too  vigorous  ringing.    At  all  events  it  had  to  be 
recast. 

Occasionally  we  find  it  served  for  other  purposes. 
Witness  the  entry : 

1822. — ''Resolmd,  That  James  Dobbin  have  the  use  of 
the  bell  in  the  Church  to  ring  when  required  by  the  court — 
hy  his  taking  care  and  preventing  hoysfroin  rummaging 
through  the  Church.^'' 

Young  America  was  much  the  same  in  those  days  as 
now.     Again  we  read : 

' '  Resolved^  That  the  bell  should  be  rung  only  for  divine 
service  and  funerals,  as  it  disturbed  the  sick.'''' 

The  tolling  at  funerals  wms  a  peculiar  feature  of  those 
ancient  times,  a  function  of  much  solemnity.  Although 
the  New  England  custom  of  numbering  the  years  of  the 
departed  was  not  observed,  it  was  the  duty  of  the  sexton 
to  watch,  and,  as  the  first  vehicle  appeared  from  among 
the  hills,  to  pull  stroke  after  stroke,  at  intervals  of  five 
minutes,  till  the  train  with  its  sad  burden  reached  the 
burial-ground.  The  service  itself  was  seldom  held  within 
the  Church,  but  in  the  home.  We  remark,  in  passing,  that 
the  wedding  ceremony  has  been  performed  only  thrice 
within  its  walls. 

A  purchase  was  made  in  1797,  which  must  have  added 
greatly  to  the  comfort  of  the  congregation — namely,  that 
of  two  large  ' '  seven-plate ' '  stoves,  with  many  feet  of  pipe. 
No  way  of  heating  had  been  emjDloyed  in  the  log  building 
or  the  old  meeting  house,  except  as  individual  members 
brought  foot- stoves ;  therefore  these  stoves  were  looked 
upon  as  a  wonderful  improvement.  As  years  rolled  on,  and 
people  needed  more  heat,  two  more  were  bought  and  placed 
in  the  aisles  near  the  pulpit.  Within  the  memory  of  the 
last  generation  the  removal  of  this  unwieldy  apparatus 
for  warmth  was  hailed  with  satisfaction  and  the  lona\ 


32  CENTENNIAL   CELEBRATION 

uncouth  pipes — from  which  the  smoky  water  would  leak 
and  drip  and  stain,  in  spite  of  little  tin  basins  suspended 
underneath — taken  down.  The  fuel  employed  had  always 
been  wood,  until  the  first  Sabbath  of  November,  1897 — one 
hundred  years  after  its  first  occupancy— a  new  coal  furnace 
difi'used  a  steady  heat  through  the  building. 

As  for  lighting  in  the  early  years.  So  seldom  were 
meetings  held  in  the  evenings,  that  all  the  provision  made 
was  of  candles,  with  long  tin  reflectors.  About  sixty 
years  ago  a  chandelier  with  glass  drops  was  bought  by 
Mr.  John  Williams.  It  hangs  still  where  it  was  suspended 
then.  That  in  the  recess  of  more  recent  date,  but  selected 
to  correspond,  was  placed  there  in  memory  of  an  aged 
church  member ;  the  tall  lamps  were  a  legacy  from  another ; 
chairs  are  also,  in  a  way,  a  memorial.  At  one  time  the 
side  galleries  were  hung  with  highly  ornamented  gilt 
larai^s,  the  gift  of  Mrs.  James  Gibson,  wife  of  the  late 
lamented  Judge  Gibson.  Like  other  things,  they  wore  out 
and  had  to  be  set  aside. 

The  following  paragraph,  copied  from  the  trustees' 
book,  strikes  us  as  being  peculiar : 

Dec.  26,  1834. — '"'■Resolved.  That  the  sacramental  seats 
and  tables  belonging  to  the  Church  where  the  Rev.  Alex. 
Proudfit  is  pastor  shall  not  be  taken  from  the  above- 
named  Church  to  go  to  the  Academy  for  any  exhibition." 

Evidently  they  had  been  so  taken  heretofore,  or  asked 
for.  And  this  leads  us  to  remark  that  the  custom  was  in 
those  days,  when  the  Lord's  Supper  was  dispensed,  for  the 
first  pews  to  be  converted  into  tables,  benches  placed  in 
front,  and  tlie  communicants  to  come  forward,  singing  as 
they  took  their  seats.  This  was  discontinued  some  year 
during  the  fifties. 

The  practice  of  giving  and  receiving  "tokens"  was  con- 
tinued up  to  that  time. 

There  seem  to  be  some  missing  links  in  the  chain  of 


OF   OLD   WHITE   CHURCH  33 

facts;  but  they  are  more  than  one  can  deal  with  in  detail 
of  those  still  on  record. 

In  1823  extensive  repairs  were  undertaken,  and  the 
square  pews  remodelled.  In  1840  and  1841,  also,  renovating 
touches  were  given  to  the  woodwork,  and  fresh  paint  ap- 
plied. 

The  vestibule  was  added  at  one  time.  When  we 
remember  the  changes  in  front  and  rear  of  the  edifice,  the 
renewal  of  window-frames  and  doors,  the  replacing  of 
shingles  by  slate  on  the  roof,  one  hesitates  to  afl&rm  that  it 
is  the  same  house  as  that  of  1797 ;  but  there  are  enough  of 
the  stanch  old  beams  and  timbers  to  establish  its  identity. 

In  1842  the  "  draw-well "  was  dug.  It  is  that  now  in  the 
grounds,  whose  water  still  refreshes  the  small  boy  on  his 
way  from  school,  quenches  the  thirst  of  the  minister  when 
he  becomes  "dry"  from  too  much  speaking,  and  keeps  the 
pretty  flowers  used  for  decoration  from  withering  away. 
It  is  from  there  that  have  been  drawn  the  baptismal  drops 
with  which  the  generations  of  infants  have  been  sprinkled, 
as  the  parents  promised  them  to  their  Saviour,  the  source 
whence  came  the  "outward  and  visible  sign"  when  adults 
sealed  their  vows. 

That  the  Session  House  in  the  enclosure  was  burned  in 
1841  is  a  matter  of  record.  Though  many  Church  papers 
perished  in  the  flames,  the  Meeting  House  was  spared. 
Considering  that  the  building  so  near  it  was  swept  away ; 
in  view  of  the  fact  that  the  steeple  was  twice  struck  by 
lightning,  as  before  related;  and  that,  only  week  before 
last,  the  cry  of  fire  from  an  opposite  building  startled  the 
village, — we  have  cause  for  gratitude  that  these  four  walls 
remain  unscorched,  unconsumed. 

While  they  trust  in  Providence,  the  trustees  also  acted 
as  wise  men,  attached  a  lightning-rod,  and  kept  the  building- 
well  insured.     This  has  been  the  practice  since  1834. 

Among  items  concerning  repairs,  we  find  references  to 
floors  relaid,  which  reminds  us  to  state  that  there   was 


34  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

no  carpet  until  the  Church  had  been  built  more  than  half 
a  century.  The  sound  of  incoming  feet  used  to  be  most 
disturbing;  especially  when  those  comers  were  late  and  the 
service  had  begun. 

A  ludicrous  incident  occurred  one  Sabbath.  As  the 
minister  was  well  on  in  his  sermon,  a  pattering,  clattering 
noise  was  heard,  and  a  large  ram  advanced  up  the  aisle, 
his  hoofs  clicking  over  the  bare  boards,  the  pew-doors 
banging  adding  to  the  uproar.  He  walked  up  to  the  pulpit, 
there  being  no  room  for  him  to  turn  about,  and  was  escorted 
out  as  soon  as  might  be. 

When  the  edifice  was  first  erected,  the  end  wall  behind 
the  pulpit  was  a  flat,  staring  surface  of  white  plaster.  At 
the  time  of  some  of  the  renovations,  Mr.  William  McKie, 
a  man  of  large  heart  and  generous  hand,  conceived  the 
idea  that  a  fresco  in  the  rear  would  relieve  the  eye.  Many 
demurred  at  the  price  demanded  by  the  first-class  artist 
whom  he  had  interviewed ;  it  seemed  to  them  too  much 
money  to  "waste"  on  mere  adornment.  Therefore  Mr. 
McKie  offered  to  pay  the  whole  cost.  The  painting  was 
executed  ;  and  though  the  tesselated  floor,  also  the  curtain 
with  tassels,  slightly  suggestive  of  the  stage,  might  have 
been  criticised  as  incongruous,  it  certainly  did  give  an  idea 
of  space.  So  good  was  the  perspective,  that  one  man  was 
entirely  certain  that  the  front  pillars  were  veritably  built 
of  wood;  "the  rest  he  knew  was  only  a  picture."  The 
picture  held  its  own  for  twenty  years,  till  other  changes 
necessitated  its  removal. 

In  1867 — the  year  that  the  centennial  of  the  congregation 
was  celebrated,  that  is  to  say,  of  its  immigration  to  this 
country:  it  having  been  in  existence  in  the  North  of 
Ireland  many  years  before — there  was  erected  a  platform 
to  accommodate  the  speakers  from  abroad.  This  was  left 
to  stand  afterwards  for  more  than  a  year.  Some  thought  it 
an  addition  which  was  no  improvement;  but  it  will  be  ever 
memorable  from  the  assembling  there,  the  following  spring, 


THE    OLD    MEETING    HOUSE 


OF   OLD   WHITE   CHURCH.  35 

of  eleven  young  men,  who  came  forward  to  confess  Christ, 
and,  standing  upon  it,  in  full  view  of  "the  great  Congre- 
gation," received  the  ordinance  of  baptism  from  the  hands  of 
Rev.  J.  C.  Forsythe,  and  next  sat  together  at  the  table  of  the 
Lord.  Subsequently  five  more  came,  and  six  more  after  that. 

In  1876  very  great  changes  were  accomplished :  a  cellar 
was  dug  beneath  the  Church,  the  whole  building  raised, 
a  higher  foundation  put  under,  and  furnaces  put  in  the 
cellar ;  a  recess  was  added  behind,  with  study  and  rooms 
each  side.  Some  years  later  the  room  over  the  vestibule 
was  modernized :  benches  taken  out  and  chairs  put  in,  and 
sliding-doors  inserted  between  the  audience-room  and 
lecture-room. 

This  was  before  the  organization  of  the  Improvement 
Society,  but  was  carried  out  through  the  energy  and  per- 
severance of  a  few  ladies. 

Since  it  is  the  material  substance  only  that  we  are  to 
bring  into  prominence — the  wood  and  stone,  brass  and  iron 
and  mortar — we  pause,  leaving  others  to  speak  of  the  life 
within. 

Remarks  by  the  Chairman. 

I  wish  to  supplement  Miss  Williams'  interesting  His- 
torical Sketch  with  a  remark  about  the  well  in  front  of  the 
Church  of  which  she  speaks.  That  well  has  been  the  means 
of  saving  thousands  of  dollars'  worth  of  property  in  the 
village.  It  is  the  best  fire  well  in  this  section.  Both  the 
steam  and  the  hand  engines,  while  drawing  water  from  it 
to  the  extent  of  their  power,  only  lower  it  an  inch  or  two. 
And  it  seems,  just  a  couple  of  weeks  ago,  by  its  nearness 
to  Mr.  Blashfield's  warehouse  when  it  was  on  fire,  this  well 
was  the  means  of  saving  hundreds  and  thousands  of  dollars' 
worth  of  property.  And  it  would  seem  that  this  well  is 
similar  perhaps,  in  its  unlimited  supply  of  water,  to  the 
Church.  All  can  draw  water  from  the  well  of  salvation, 
as  it  is  unlimited  in  supply. 


REW   ALEXANDER    PROUDFIT,    I).  I). 

1795-1835 


Xi0t  of  Morsbipcrs* 

A  list  of  the  Ancestors  who  worshiped  in  the  "White 
Church ' '  one  hundred  years  ago,  and  of  their  descendants 
whose  names  are  now  or  have  recently  been  on  the  Church 
Records. 

The  *  signifies  absence  from  home,  temporary  or  permanent. 

Thomas  Beattie,  Sr.,  was  the  ancestor  of  the  Beattie  family  in  Salem, 
and  had  five  sons  :  John,  Thomas,  William,  Samuel  and  David. 


William  J.  Beaty. 

[Johnston]         Mary  B. 

(Mrs.  Mary  J.  Dennison  Beaty.) 

Hazel. 

Agnes. 

Robert. 

Frank. 

Mrs.  Alice  Beattie  McGeoch. 

Mary  Grace. 

(William  McGeoch.) 

J.  Ebenezer  Beaty. 

*  Mrs.  Jennie  Beattie  McMichael. 

(Mrs.  Margaret  McMurray  Beattie.) 

Robert  Beattie, 

*  Louise  B. 

(Mrs.  Margaret  Owens  Beattie.) 

Maggie. 

Winifried  M. 

Edith. 

Elizabeth  N. 

Ruth. 

John  S.  Beattie. 

Marian. 

Sarah  J.  Beattie. 

Alfred. 

*  Mrs.  Almira  Beattie  Schaffer. 

Ernest. 

*  Mrs.  Kate  Beattie  McFarland. 

Emily. 

Mrs.  Grace  Beattie. 

William  Beattie. 

Mrs.  Abby  Beaty  Fitch. 

(Mrs.  Catherine  McKinney  Beattie.) 

(Wm.  J.  Fitch.) 

*  Marcus. 

*  Lemira  M.  Beaty. 

*  Beverly. 

Euphemia  Beattie. 

Eva, 

Hannah  Beattie. 

May. 

*  Ebenezer  D. 

Nannie. 

Charles  A.  Beattie. 

Chauncey. 

(Mrs.  Emmagene  Rogers  Beattie.) 

Clara  Bell. 

John  J.,  2nd. 

Mrs.  Elizabeth  Beattie, 

*  Mrs.  Maggie  Cleveland  Abbott. 

Mary. 
Sarah. 

James  J.  Craig. 

(Mrs.  Jennie  Shaw  Craig.) 
George  A. 

Mrs.  Nellie  Beattie  Johnston. 

Mrs.  Hattie  Craig  Coulter. 

(John  W.  Johnston.) 

(Charles  H.  Coulter.) 

38 


CENTENNIAL   CELEBRATION 


*  Jennie  Ellis. 

John  Craig. 

Mrs.  Ella  Craig  Shields. 

(Dan  Shields.) 

Mrs.  Anna  Beattie  Morhouse. 

(Adelbert  E.  Morhouse.) 

Stewart. 

Col.  John  C.  Beattie. 

Mrs.  Mary  B.  Beattie. 

Martha. 

*  Robert. 
Marcus. 

(Mrs.  Fannie  Broughton  Beattie.) 
Cora. 
*May. 

*  Irwin. 
Franc. 

Walter  B.  Beattie. 
Walter  S.  Beattie. 
(Mrs.  Harriet  Birch  Beattie.) 
Gertrude. 
Harry. 

Nettie  Grace. 

*  Margaret  Beattie. 

*  Finley  Beattie. 

James  M.  Beattie. 

Anna  Beattie. 

Mrs.  Caroline  Cogswell  Sharp. 

Maggie. 

*  Mrs.  Hattie  Sharp  Snyder. 

*  Albert  Cogswell. 

Ancestor,  Thomas  Boyd. 

Alida  McAllister. 

William  R.  Boyd. 

Mrs.  Kate  Egery  Edwards. 

(John  Edwards.) 

*  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Edwards  Edgar. 

William  John. 

*  Charles 

*  William. 
Margaret. 

*  George. 

*  Frank. 
James  W.  Egery. 
Fannie  McCleary. 


William  J.  Boyd. 
(Mrs.  Mary  McCleary  Boyd.) 

Nellie. 

Charles. 
*  Mrs.  Maggie  Boyd  Hunter. 

*  Mrs.  Jennie  Boyd  Hatch. 
Ancestor,  Robert  Boyd. 

Mrs.  Catherine  McKirracher  Stevens. 

Ancestor,  Abner  Carswell. 
*  Mrs.  Mary  Chamberlin  Cleveland. 

*  Elmer  E. 
James  H. 
Fannie. 

*  Charles. 
Ancestor,  Peter  Cruikshank. 

Capt.  Robert  Cruikshank. 

(Mrs.  Ann  Eliza  Wells  Cruikshank.) 

*  Mrs.  Ella  Cruikshank. 

*  (Dwight  P.  Cruikshank.) 

*  Phelps. 

*  Evelyn. 

*  Alison. 

*  Harvey  B. 

*  Everett. 

*  Robert. 
Raymond. 

*  Ernest. 

Capt.  William  J.  Cruikshank. 

Mrs.  Azuba  Barnett  Cruikshank. 

J.  Henry. 

Peter  H.  Cruikshank, 

(Mrs. Miller  Cruikshank.) 

Mabel  Henrietta. 

Ancestor,  Rufus  Coon. 

Daniel  Coon. 

(Mrs.  Sarah  Perry  Coon.) 

George. 

Edgar  Ladd. 

(Mrs.  Nancy  Thompson  Ladd.) 

Marion. 

*  Fred. 

Clarence. 

Ancestor,  John  Edgar. 

Mrs.  Mary  Edgar  McMillan. 


OF   OLD   WHITE   CHURCH. 


39 


[McMillan]     *  Frank. 
Mary. 

*  Will. 

*  Nettie. 
Kate. 

*  Mrs.  Sarah  Edgar  Lasher. 
*  Mrs.  Jane  Edgar  Gillette. 

*  William  J.  Edgar. 
*(Mrs.  Elizabeth  Edwards  Edgar.) 

*  Wm.  John  Edgar. 

*  Persis  F. 
Ancestor,  Hugh  Fairley. 

Lizzie  Fairley. 

Mrs.  Fannie  Fairley  Dillon. 

Gordon. 

Ancestor,  John  Fairley. 

Mrs.  Susanna  Fairley  Smart. 

John  Wright. 

(Mrs.  Melissa  Haynes  Wright.) 

Carrie. 

Frank. 

(Mrs.  Emma  McKinney  Wright.) 

Alvah. 

Elsie. 

Grace  Osterhoudt. 

Fannie  Osterhoudt. 

Ancestor,  Samuel  Ferguson. 

William  Ferguson. 

Esther. 

(Mrs.  Elizabeth  Ferguson  Eraser.) 

John  F.  Ferguson. 

John  Ferguson. 

Vesta. 

Mrs.  Martha  Ferguson  McKinney. 

(John  McKinney.) 

*  Henderson. 

*  (Mrs.  Lora  Crangle  McKinney.) 

*  James. 

Egbert  D.  Ferguson. 

(Mrs.  Fannie  Orcutt  Ferguson.) 

*  Margaret  McKinney. 

David  Ferguson. 

Lizzie  May  Ferguson. 

Ancestor,  David  Matthews. 

*  Mary  E.  Crary. 


Ancestor,  Col.  Joseph  McCracken. 

Charles  H.  Wilson. 

Mrs.  Georgia  R.  Wilson. 

Ancestor,  Alexander  McNish. 

*  Sarah  Steele  McNish. 
Ancestor,  James  McFarland. 

William  McFarland. 

Margaret. 

John  W.  McFarland. 

(Mrs.  Caroline  Hopkins  McFarland.) 

*  Mary  E. 
Susanna  H. 
James  A. 

William  M.  McFarland. 
*  Mrs.  Martha  E.  McF.  Skinner. 
*  Mrs.  Mary  Ann  McFarland  Culver. 
Mrs.  Susie  Culver  Larmon. 
(Hon.  Charles  W.  Larmon.) 
Edith. 
Frances. 
♦Mitchell  McFarland. 
*(Mrs.  Georgia  W.  McFarland.) 
*Edna. 

*  James  McFarland. 

*  (Mrs.  Frances  Sherman  McFarland.) 

*  Frank. 

*  Mrs.  John  M.  McFarland. 

Ada. 

Edward. 

Ancestor,  Daniel  McFarland. 

Margaret  McFarland. 

Ancestor,  Robert  McFarland. 

Daniel  McFarland. 

Mrs.  Sarah  M.  McFarland  Dunn. 

Jennie. 

Eleanor. 

*(Mrs.  Catherine  Beattie  McFarland.) 

*  Grace. 

*  Alexander. 

*  Sarah. 

Ancestor,  Alexander  McNaughton. 
Edwin. 

*  Alexander. 
*John  C. 


40 


CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 


Ancestor,  Ebenezer  McAllister. 
*  Mrs.  S.  J.  McAllister. 
*  Mrs.  S.  A.  Fowler. 
Mrs.  Caroline  Hopkins  McFarland. 
Ancestor,  Nathaniel  McDougal. 
Jane  McDougal. 
Ancestor,  James  Proudfit. 
Mrs.  Mary  E.  Proudfit  McFarland. 
Ancestor,  Hugh  Perry. 
(Mrs.  Margaret  Beers  Perry.) 
John  R. 
(Mrs.  Ella  Hobbs  Perry.) 
Mack  2nd. 
A.  Mack  Perry. 
(Mrs.  Anna  Shields  Perry.) 
Martha. 
Nettie  S. 
Gertrude. 
Mrs.  Sarah  Perry  Coon. 
George. 
Mrs.  Mary  J.  Perry  Mack. 
(Josiah  Mack.) 
Harriet. 
Sarah. 
Charles. 
Margaret. 
Elizabeth. 
Ancestor,  John  Rowan. 
*Will  Lytle. 
*  George  Lytle. 
Frank  Lytle. 
John  Lytle. 
(Mrs.  Minie  Parker  Lytle.) 
Willis  S. 
Wilbur  M. 
Harry. 
Mrs.  Libbie  Lytle  Fairley. 
(James  M.  Fairley.) 
Ray. 
George. 
Lena. 
Frank. 
Carrie. 
Isabel. 
*  Mrs.  Mattie  Lytle  Hall. 
*  James  Lytle. 


♦Maggie  Lytle. 

*  Charles  Lytle. 

*  Rockwell  Lytle. 
Ancestor,  Gideon  Safford. 

David  H.  Safford. 
Daniel  McC. 
William  C. 

*  Robert  Safford. 
Mrs.  Alice  Johnson  Safford. 

Mary  C. 
Agnes. 
John  E.  Gillis. 
Elizabeth  Gillis. 
James  G.  Gillis. 
(Mrs.  Lorraine  Brown  Gillis.) 
*  John  E. 
Elizabeth. 
Charles. 
Margaret. 
Esther  Murdock. 
James  Murdock. 
(Mrs.  Laura  Piatt  Murdock.) 
*Dan. 
*  Henry. 
George. 
Ada. 
Ella. 
*  Mrs.  Jennie  Brady. 
Ancestor,  Abram  .Savage. 
Mrs.  Susan  Savage  McMurray. 
Mrs.  Eliza  Savage  McLaurie. 
Mrs.  Minie  Schermerhorn  McLaurie. 
Arthur. 
*  Mrs.  Ida  McLaurie  Vail. 
*  Virginia. 

*  Mrs.  John  Savage. 
Ancestor,  John  Smart. 

Hugh  Smart. 

(Mrs.  Wakeley  Smart.) 

John  W. 

Alexander  Smart. 

(Mrs.  Hetty  Herrington  Smart.) 

Nellie  Smart. 

John  S.  Williams. 

(Mrs.  Rebecca  Wilson  Williams.) 


OF   OLD   WHITE   CHURCH. 


4t 


[Williams]        William. 
EliS. 
Ancestor,  James  Stevenson. 
Robert  M.  Stevenson. 
Hon.  Thomas  S. 
(Mrs.  Alida  Russell  Stevenson.) 
George. 
Helen. 
*  Sara. 
Ancestor,  Robert  Shaw. 

*  James  Shaw. 

Mrs.  Jennie  Shaw  Craig. 

Ancestor,  Thomas  Steele. 

Mrs.  Elizabeth  Steele  Eraser. 

(Judge  Lonson  Eraser.) 

James. 

Hon.  Frederick. 
Daniel  J.  Steele. 
(Mrs.  Daniel  J.  Steele.) 
Bessie. 
Adelaide. 
Pearl. 
Elsie. 
Ancestor,  Robert  Stewart. 
Mrs.  Caroline  Billings  Austin. 
George. 
Bert. 
(Mrs.  Julia  Bain  Austin.) 
Bessie. 
Elsie. 
Mrs.  Ella  Austin  McAllister. 
(Robert  McAllister,  Jr.) 
Earl. 
*  Mrs.  Carrie  Austin  Closh. 
Lewis  Austin. 
(Mrs.  Fannie  Glenholm  Austin.) 
Nettie. 
Alfred  Austin. 
(Mrs.  Nettie  Glenholm  Austin.) 
John  M.  Clark. 


(Mrs.  Mary  Guernsey  Clark.) 

Lucretia  Bell. 

Elizabeth. 

*  Joseph. 

*  Irving, 
Henry  Clark. 

(Mrs.  Cornelia  Wright  Clark.) 
*Will. 
Mrs.  Mary  Clark  Barnett. 
*Mrs.  Cornelia  Clark  Aikin. 
*Alvah  W. 

*  Charles. 
Mrs.  C.  M.  Wolff. 

Mrs.  Libbie  Wolff  Perkins. 

(Robert  Perkins.) 

Harold. 

Ermine. 

Baby. 

Ancestor,  Walter  Stewart. 

Robert  Stewart. 

(Mrs.  Jane  Shaw  Stewart.) 

Ancestor,  William  Thompson. 

Capt.  James  M.  Thompson. 

*(Mrs.  Mary  J.  Fairley  Thompson.) 

*  Frank. 

Mrs.  Harriet  Bentley  Thompson. 
Carrie  A. 
Henrietta. 
Mary. 
Charles. 
Mrs.  Nancy  Thompson  Ladd. 
Ancestor,  Capt.  Alexander  Turner. 
*  Mrs.  Lucy  Turner  Safford  Mawhinny. 
*Mrs.  Elizabeth  Turner  White. 

*  (William  White.) 

*  Rev.  Charles  T. 
*(Mrs.  Chas.  T.  White.) 

Ancestor,  Gen.  John  Williams. 
Harriet  M. 
Fanny  H. 


IRoU  Of  riDembers. 


Roll  of  members  and  adherents  of  the  "White  Church" 
at  the  beginning  of  1898,  whose  ancestors  had  no  connection 
with  the  congregation  one  hundred  years  ago. 

The  *  signifies  in  most  cases,  absence  from  Salem  either  temporary  or  permanent. 


Mrs.  Amanda  McAller  Alexander. 
Mary  J. 
John. 
Mrs.  Jeanette  McNab  Ashton. 
*Will. 

*  Andrew. 

*  Hawley. 
Margaret. 
Bessie. 

*  Lydia. 

*  Mrs.  Jessie. 

*  Mrs.  Barbara  Hatch. 

Mrs.  Marion  Roberts  Babcock. 

John  S.  Barnett. 

Elmira. 

Josiah. 

Ella. 

*  Mrs.  Mary  Fairchild  Beattie. 

John  Bentley. 

Mrs.  Jennie Bentley. 

Harvey. 
Minnie. 
Mrs.  Sarah  Bingham. 
William  W. 
Joseph. 
Mrs.  Joseph  Bingham. 
Carrie  Brownell. 
Belle  Brownell. 
George  Bruce. 
Mrs.  Anna  Shields  Bruce. 
Mildred. 
Georgiana. 


Will  E.  Bruce. 
Mrs.  Nancy  Shields  Bruce. 
Harry. 

Darwin  Alfred. 

Mrs.  Polly  Burke. 

Fred. 

Sadie. 

James  R.  Cherry. 

Mrs.  Leonia  Cherry. 

Willard. 

Mrs.  Prudence  Huggins  Clark. 

Belle  Cleveland. 

John  Coulter. 

Mrs.  Nancy  Ellis  Maxwell  Coulter. 

W.  James. 

Mrs.  Belle  Cowan  Coulter. 

Charles. 

Joseph  Crosier. 

Mrs.  Joseph  Crosier. 

Joseph. 

Louise. 

Maud. 

*  Mrs.  Hattie  Fairley  Crum. 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  Johnson  Curren. 

William  J. 

*  James  W\  Doig. 

*  Mrs.  Mary  Robertson  Doig. 

*  Albert. 

*  Mrs.  Fannie  Shipley  Doig. 

*  Cora. 

*  Woodworth. 
Mrs.  Horace  Edgerton. 


44 


CENTENNIAL   CELEBRATION 


*  Fannie  Fairchild. 

Mrs.  Jane  McMurray  Fairley. 

Mrs.  Margaret  Fairley  Ferguson. 

Mr.  Lemuel  Fitch. 

Mrs.  Lemuel  Fitch. 

Charles. 

George  H.  Gilmore. 

Mrs.  Belle  Reid  Gilmore. 

*  Reid. 

*  Willard. 
Georgia. 
Edith. 
Lansing. 

J.  Alvan  Goodrich. 

Mrs.  Ida  Cammeyer  Goodrich. 

Louise. 

Thomas  C.  Gregory. 

Mrs.  Thomas  C.  Gregory. 

*  Irene. 

*  Thomas  C. 

Russell. 
Theron  S. 
David  S.  Gray. 
Mrs.  Jean  Wallace  Gray. 

William  Hale. 

Mrs.  Maria  Smith  Hale. 

Fannie  M. 

Martin  Hanks. 

Mrs. Cook  Hanks. 

Marshall. 

William. 

Warren. 

Mrs.  Sarah  Taylor  Haskins. 

Mrs.  Jane  Doig  Hedges. 

Paul. 

Mrs.  Clara  Gleason  Hedges. 

*  Oliver  Hill. 

*  Mrs.  Lydia  Shields  Hill. 
Mrs.  James  Hill. 

*  Alfred  J. 

Mrs.  Catherine  Reed  Johnson. 

Margaret  Johnson. 

Eliza  Johnson. 

Edward  G.  Johnston. 

Mrs.  Mary  E.  Holt  Johnston. 


Johnston]  Ida. 

Charles. 
Mrs.  Mary  Perkins  Johnston. 
Maggie. 
John  King. 
*John  S. 
*Mrs.  Margaret  Coulter  King. 
Julia. 
Frances. 
Margaret  Keys. 
*  George  Liddle. 
*  Mrs.  George  Liddle. 
*  George  H. 
Will  E. 
Mrs.  Katherine  Munson  Liddle. 

E.  Gerster. 
*  Mrs.  Louise  Liddle  Smith. 

*  Henry. 

*  Carleton. 
George  Mahaffy. 

Mrs.  Lizzie  Shields  Mahaffy. 

Clarence. 
*Mrs.  Margaret  Mahaffy. 

*  Sarah. 

*  Margaret  A. 

*  D.  Alexander. 

*  Harriet  M. 

Mrs.  Sarah  Lambert  Martin. 

Harriet  Mead. 

Robert  McClarty. 

Mrs. Maclin  McClarty. 

*  David  J. 
Robert  J. 
William. 

*  Mark. 
Daniel. 
Lizzie. 
Samuel. 
Bertha. 

Mrs.  McCoy. 

*  Mrs.  Belle  Hunter  McDowell. 

Robert  McDowell. 

Mrs.  Robert  McDowell. 

Elizabeth. 

Fred.  Miller. 


OF   OLD  WHITE   CHURCH. 


45 


Alexander  McKinney. 

Mrs.  Jennie  McGeoch  McKinney. 

Harold. 

Mrs.  Emma  Allen  McKinney. 

Willard. 

Oscar  McKolt. 

Mrs.  Maud  Haskins  McKolt. 

A.  Van  Tile  McMillan. 

Mrs.  Mary  Wilson  McMillan. 

*  John. 

Sarah  McMorris. 

Laura  McMorris. 

*  Margaret  Miller. 

Mrs.  Mary  McCoy  Monroe. 

Mrs.  Charlotte  Madison  More. 

Theresa. 

Nettie. 

*  Mrs.  Ellen  Shields  Noble. 

John  Oliver. 

Mrs.  Jennie  Ferris  Oliver. 

James  Norton. 

*  J.  Merton. 

*  Joseph. 
Jennie. 
Anna. 
Mary. 

George  Orcutt. 
Mrs.  Mary  Hall  Orcutt. 
Anna  Mary. 
Essie  J. 

George  Henry. 
Edgar  W.  Philo. 
Mrs.  Cora  Rosecrans  Philo. 
Ernest. 
Mildred. 
William  Pierce. 
Mrs.  Rachel  McAllister  Pinkerton. 
John  R. 
Rachel. 
Belle. 
Sarah. 
Mary. 
Carrie. 
Timothy  Potter. 
Franc. 


John  Parrish. 
William  Prescott. 
Mrs.  Lena  McMorris  Prescott. 
Marjorie. 
Joseph  Qua. 
Harvey. 
Mrs.  Anna  Coulter  Qua. 
Coulter. 
Henry. 
Lena. 
Baby. 
*  James  Randies. 
*  Mrs.  Mary  Coulter  Randies. 

*  Helen. 

*  George. 

Mrs.  Grace  Christie  Rea. 
Mrs.  Matilda  McCoy  Riley. 

David  Roberts. 

Mrs.  Jennie  Jones  Roberts. 

Elizabeth. 

Abner  Robertson. 

*  James  W.  Robertson, 

*  Mrs.  Kate  Rice  Robertson. 

Harvey. 

Mrs.  Jessie  McQueen  Robertson. 

*  George. 

*  Andrew. 

*  Mrs.  Martha  McClarty  Robertson. 
*  Mrs.  Maria  McMillan  Rogers. 

Mrs.  Honoria  Rogers. 

John  Shaw. 

Mrs.  Jennie  Underwood  Shaw. 

Charles  A. 

Jennie  U. 

Archie  Shaw. 

*  Jay  Sherman. 

*  Mrs.  Margaret  McClarty  Sherman. 

*G.  Wilson  Sherman. 

James  Shields. 

Mrs.  James  Shields. 

*  Robert. 

Mrs.  Jennie  Hunter  Shields. 

*  James. 
Lizzie  Shields. 


46 


CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 


Fred.  Spaulding. 

Mrs.  Belle  Beebe  Spaulding. 

Ralph. 

Sarah  M.  Stafford. 

David  Craig  Stewart. 

Mrs.  Anna  Clark  Stewart. 

Anna  Marie 

Marguerite  Bruce. 

Mrs.  George  Wadsworth. 

Margaret. 

*  Mrs.  Sarah  Wadsworth  Martin. 

*  Kate. 

Philip  Washburn. 

Mrs.  Mary  Wilson  Washburn. 

George  Webb. 

Mrs.  Ella  Maxon  Webb. 


[Webb]  Harold. 

Leo. 
Fred. 
Earl. 
Jennie  Wickham. 
De  Witt  Williams. 
Mrs.  Matilda  Dennison  Williams. 
Mrs.  John  Winning. 
Ellen. 
Martha. 
*  Mrs.  Anna  Winning  Beattie. 
John. 
Carson. 
*  William. 
Alfred  M.  Young. 
Mrs.  Mary  Newton  Young. 


MINISTERS. 


Rev.  James  Proudfit,  D.D.  (Pastor).      Rev.  James  M.  Crawford. 


Alexander  Proudiit,  D.D.(  Pastor). 

Alex.  Proudfit. 

John  Wms.  Proudfit,  D.D. 

Robert  Proudfit. 

Alexander  Proudfit,  D.D. 

John  Beattie. 

James  M.  Matthews,  D.D. 

James  Lillie,  D.D.  (Pastor). 

John  B.  Steele,  D.D. 

Wm.  McMurray,  D.D, 

Stephen  N.  Rowan. 

Wm.  Cruikshank. 

John  C.  Cruikshank. 

Ebenezer  Halley,  D.D.  (Pastor). 

Eben.  Halley,  D.D. 

James  Stevenson. 

Paul  Eugene  Stevenson,  D.D. 

John  D.  Wells,  D.D. 

Richard  H.  Steele,  D.D. 

Thomas  B.  Farrington  (Pastor). 

John  Crawford. 

Rev.  Daniel  M 


Charles  Thompson. 
James  S.  Stevenson. 
Jas.  C.  Forsyth,  D.D.  (Pastor). 
James  R.  Doig. 
Wm.  Irwin,  D.D. 
Geo.  Beattie. 
David  M.  McClellan. 
David  Lytle. 
Mr.  Dysart. 
Mr.  French. 

Wm.  A.  Mackenzie  (Pastor). 
Thomas  H.  Mackenzie. 
G.  Hale  Getty. 
Charles  T.  White. 
Albert  G.  Todd. 
Jas.  Gibson  Robertson. 
Herbert  C.  Hinds. 
Wm.  T.  McMichael. 
Peter  C.  Robertson. 
Wm.  H.  Robertson. 
George  Robertson. 
cCurdy  Safford. 


OF   OLD   WHITE   CHURCH. 


47 


ELDERS. 


William  Thompson. 
James  Matthews. 
John  Rowan. 
James  McFarland. 
Matthew  McWhorter. 
James  Stevenson. 
Thomas  Collins. 
John  Steele. 
John  McMurray. 
John  Beaty. 
Thomas  Stevenson. 
Isaac  Getty. 
George  McWhorter. 


James  B.  Stevenson. 
David  B.  Thompson. 
Hugh  Thompson. 
Ira  Carswell. 
Joseph  Clark. 
Wm.  C.  Safford. 
Earl  P.  Wright. 
W'illiam  Edgar. 
James  G.  Gillis. 
William  Chamberlain. 
Robert  Stewart. 
David  H.  Safford. 
Peter  H.  Cruikshank. 


TRUSTEES. 


Alexander  Webster. 
John  Graham. 
Matthew  McWhorter. 
Alexander  McNish. 
Andrew  Lytle. 
Thomas  Beaty. 
Robert  Stewart. 
Isaac  Getty. 
David  Thompson. 
John  McMurray. 
John  Beaty. 
Abner  Carswell. 
John  McAllister. 
James  McFarland. 
Peter  Cruikshank. 
Thomas  Stevenson. 
Joshua  Steele. 
Ebenezer  Martin. 
David  Matthews,  Jr. 
Abner  Austin. 
George  Stewart. 
John  McNaughton. 
John  Crary. 
John  McFarland. 
Robert  Boyd. 
Ira  Carswell. 


John  Rowan. 
John  Lytle. 
James  Tomb. 
Thomas  S.  Stevenson 
Andrew  Anderson. 
Hugh  Thompson. 
William  H.  Stewart. 
James  G.  Gillis. 
David  McFarland. 
John  B.  Fairley. 
James  H.  Carswell. 
Ebenezer  McMurray. 
William  McKie. 
John  H.  Beattie. 
John  Stewart. 
Pliny  F.  Park. 
Ebenezer  Beattie. 
William  McFarland. 
Peter  Cruikshank. 
Thomas  S.  Steele. 
John  Edwards. 
Daniel  McCleary. 
Thomas  Stevenson. 
James  M.  Thompson. 
Robert  M.  Stevenson. 
William  Chamberlain. 


48 


CENTENNIAL   CELEBRATION. 


TRVSTEES—Cofainued. 


Ebenezer  McAllister. 
Alexander  Robertson. 
James  A.  McFarland. 
Joseph  Stevenson. 
John  McMillan. 
William  C.  Safford. 


John  McKinney. 
John  Coulter. 
Edwin  McNaughton. 
William  J.  Beaty. 
John  S.  Beattie. 
James  H.  Chamberlain. 


^N*  ^^  ^S» 


Scraps  Save^  from  Scattering, 

Read  by  R.  Gregory. 

It  is  striking  how  often  the  number  seven — which  has 
the  reputation  of  standing  for  perfection — appears  in  our 
Church  history. 

On  the  27th  day  of  August,  1867,  the  centennial  of  the 
congregation  was  celebrated.  That  was  thirty  years  ago. 
For  a  self-evident  reason  the  speaker  was  not  present  that 
day.  It  was  before  his  day.  But  he  has  been  told  that 
valuable  facts  were  then  brought  to  light  by  Dr.  Asa  Fitch, 
well  known  in  the  scientific  world.  These  facts  were  care- 
fully preserved  by  him.  "Being dead,  he  yet  speaketh"  — 
speaketh  in  living  words  to  us  now,  1897;  for  hear  how  he 
ends  his  paper : 

"Long  live  the  old  White  Church  in  Salem!  And  when 
the  last  of  its  present  members  shall  lie  beneath  the  sod, 
and  our  spirits  have  returned  to  God  who  gave  them — 
when  the  deeds  of  this  present  time  shall  furnish  the 
materials  of  history — may  it  be  the  lot  of  a  future  chronicler, 
upon  scanning  the  materials  which  we  shall  leave  .  .  . 
may  it  be  his  lot  to  record  that  we  were  worthy  of  the  pre- 
cious heritage  which  it  is  our  privilege  to  enjoy." 

I  will  not  take  to  myself  the  title  of  "chronicler;"  but, 
as  a  representative  of  the  present  generation,  at  the  end  of 
the  nineteenth  century,  I  will  endeavor  to  catch  a  few  echoes 
from  the  end  of  the  eighteenth,  and  project  them,  so  that 
the  twentieth,  when  it  comes,  may  carry  on  the  refrain. 

«  «  « 

As  a  specimen  of  the  quaint,  hear  the  following  entry : 

'^Resolved,  That  the  keys  of  the  Church  be  kept  by 
James  A.  McFarland,  Esq.,  and  no  person  be  permitted  to 


50  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

take  the  same  without  the  authority  of  the  trustees ;  and 
also  that  the  bell  only  be  rung  by  Alvah  Wright  for  the 
purpose  of  divine  worship  and  at  funerals ;  and  the  gates 
be  not  opened  for  any  other  purposes  except  for  the 
accommodation  of  some  member  of  the  congregation  who 
has  an  interest  in  the  Church,  as  pew-holder  or  other- 
wise." 

And  what  do  you  think  of  this  ? — 

"At  a  meeting,  March,  1843,  of  the  male  members  of 
the  congregation,  it  was  Resolxed^  That  the  sexton  be 
directed  to  keep  order  in  the  lobby  during  service  on  the 
Sabbath ;  and,  if  unable  to  do  so  himself,  to  call  on  the 
trustees  for  assistance." 

We  are  not  aware  whether  these  officers  ever  had  to  be 
called  upon  or  not.  There  was  an  occasion,  by  the  way, 
on  which  a  disturbance  was  created  at  the  other  end  of  the 
house  of  worship.  This  story  is  not  recorded  in  the 
"minutes,"  however ;  the  oldest  inhabitant  vouches  for  it : 

Rev.  Ebenezer  Halley  owned  a  dog  named  Capers :  a 
little  fat,  black  dog.  The  animal  always  accompanied  him 
when  he  went  to  preach,  anc^  slept  during  the  service. 
The  pulpit  was  very  high,  and  there  was  a  long  flight  of 
steps  leading  down  from  the  j^latform.  Capers  slept  too 
near  the  edge  :  he  dreamed,  he  moved,  he  rolled  from  the 
top  of  the  flight  to  the  bottom  ;  how  he  must  have  howled  ! 
What  his  master  did  is  forgotten.  Also  whether  the 
children  laughed;  they  may  to-night :  this  is  not  the  Sab- 
bath nor  a  formal  solemn  meeting. 


Salem's  village,  with  its  churches,  has  been  remarkable 
from  the  beginning  for  its  lavishness  in  sending  forth  its 
sons.  The  process  began  only  a  score  and  a  half  years 
from  the  time  when  the  colony  from  Ballibay  settled  here. 
Gen.  AValter  Martin  headed  a  band  of  young  men  with 


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OF   OLD  WHITE  CHURCH.  51 

their  families  and  established  himself  and  them  at  Martins- 
burgh,  Lewis  County,  this  State.  Far  and  wide  have 
others  gone,  in  a  continuous  succession  of  departures,  by 
twos  and  threes  or  singly.  But  in  a  wider  field  of  influence 
they  have  made  a  wider  mark  for  good  than  had  they  here 
remained. 

Merely  as  one  example  of  the  clerical  element,  we 
instance  Rev.  John  Crawford  from  this  vicinity,  who  for 
nearly  forty  years  has  been  telling  the  good  news  of  the 
Saviour  in  the  ancient  city  of  Damascus. 

The  young  men  have  always  been  called  upon  to  take 
an  active  part  in  Church  operations.  For  one  reason,  it 
was  not  until  very  lately  that  it  was  considered  seemly  for 
the  women  to  speak  in  public.  The  former  always  used 
to  respond.     Listen  to  what  was  in  the  Church  archives  : 

"At  a  meeting  of  the  congregation,  October,  1793  :  It 
was  voted  that  all  young  men  attending  on  public  ordi- 
nances shall  pay  one  dollar  per  year. ' ' 

1841. — '■''Resolved,  That  Robert  Stewart,  Josephus 
Fitch,  Robert  McMurray,  Wm.  C.  Boyd,  be  a  committee 
to  solicit  from  the  young  men  of  this  congregation  sub- 
scriptions for  repairing  the  Church." 

These  youths  not  only  did  their  work  as  a  committee, 
gathering  all  the  money  required,  but  they  themselves  sub- 
scribed sums  ranging  from  one  hundred  dollars  to  five  (only 
one  of  the  last  amount);  most  of  them  gave  fifty  and  twenty- 
five  dollars  apiece, 

«  «  « 

To  silence  the  pessimists  among  us  who  declare  that 
the  congregation  is  running  down  and  dying  out,  we  wish 
to  observe  that  former  trustee,  Capt.  James  Thompson, 
who  was  in  office  for  over  twenty-five  consecutive  years, 
has  furnished  a  list  of  eighty  families  of  the  old  stock, 
still  rejiresented,   who  assemble   in  this  sanctuary  from 


52  .  CENTENNIAL   CELEBRATION. 

week  to  week.  The  family  name  of  these  has  not  in  every 
case  been  transmitted,  but  the  same  blood  runs  through 
their  veins,  the  same  spirit  animates  them. 

«  «  « 

It  would  be  interesting  to  gather  in  all  the  items  extant, 
regarding  those  who  have  gone  out  into  the  world,  also 
those  who  are  even  now  "serving  their  generation  by  the 
will  of  God,"  here  and  there— from  New  Hampshire  to 
Florida,  from  Brooklyn  to  Los  Angeles. 

Will  not  some  energetic  person  take  the  hint  and  make 
it  his  business  to  do  this  ? 

Then,  if  the  septi- centennial  ever  should  come  to  be 
observed,  there  will  be  abundant  data  from  which  to  draw. 


tititi 


Hn  Hppeal  to  jfatbet  trime  ant>  IfmaQiuation* 

By  C.  H.  McFarland. 

Time!  Father  Time!  Canst  thou  not  hear? 

O  lend  to  us  thy  listening  ear- 
Give  us  this  hour. 

Open  the  windows  to  mem'ries  old, 

Hold  back  the  veil— let  our  eyes  behold— 
Hast  thou  no  power  ? 

Thou  wast  here  in  the  long,  long  ago— 
Eye-witness  of  that  we  would  know — 

Plead  we  in  vain? 
Show  us  those  faces  of  Age  and  Youth, 
Early  champions  for  God  and  Truth- 
Bring  them  again. 

Speak!  long  silent,  unwritten  years 
Voicing  those  grand  old  pioneers 

From  Ballibay; 
Who  kneeling  prayed,  while  morning  sun 
Witnessed  to  Heaven,  a  work  begun 

To  last  for  aye. 

Then  shall  their  evening  song  of  praise 
Reach  us  in  echoing,  joyful  lays 

And  glad  acclaim. 
Here  we  will  build — an  altar  lay 
Where  we  may  worship  God  alway — 

"  Praise  ye  His  name." 

A  century  its  debt  hath  paid, 

Of  life  and  death,  since  first  was  laid 

Our  Corner-stone. 
And  children's  children  thrice  have  blessed 
A  father's  God  and  here  confessed 

Him,  God  alone. 


54  CENTENNIAL   CELEBRATION. 

Firm  her  foundations,  now  as  then, 
And  strong  her  bulwarks  are,  as  when 

Thus  early  made; 
Type  of  God's  mercy,  love  and  g;race 
To  sinful  men.  His  blood  bought  race 

Whose  debt  he  paid. 

So  may  it  evermore  remain 

Till  He  on  earth  shall  come  to  reign, 

Peace  to  defend. 
And  all  the  ransomed  of  the  Lord 
Shall  praise  His  name  with  one  accord 

Time  without  end. 

As  in  His  courts  we  waiting  stand 
Beneath  His  consecrating  hand 

Our  vows  we  pay 
To  Him  who  rules  all  earth  and  spheres, 
And  unto  whom  a  thousand  years 

Are  as  one  day. 


^^^     V^    ^^# 


**Zhc  present/' 

By  Rev.  Mr.  Turnbull. 

I  think  myself  liapiDy  to  be  with  yon  this  evening,  and 
there  are  two  good  reasons  why  I  should  occupy  but  little 
of  your  time:  The  first  is,  that  the  committee  that  so 
kindly  invited  me  to  say  a  word  this  evening  suggested 
that  I  should  occupy  but  little  time ;  and  the  second  is, 
that  the  fitness  of  things  indicates  the  time.  I  am  to  speak 
of  "The  Present."  The  present,  as  compared  with  the 
past  or  as  compared  with  the  future,  is  very  brief  indeed. 
You  know  the  past  includes  all  time  that  has  gone  by,  and 
the  future  includes  all  time  that  is  to  come;  while  the 
present  is  that  infinitesimally  small  point  on  which  we 
now  stand.  Indeed,  the  present  since  I  began  to  speak  to 
you  has  slipped  away  into  the  past.  So,  in  accordance 
with  the  fitness  of  things,  what  I  have  to  say  should  be 
very  brief. 

The  text  before  us  to-day  and  this  evening  has  been  this 
building  in  which  we  meet  to-night.  What  I  have  to  say 
refers  to  the  present.  I  have  lived  more  to-day  with  the 
congregation  that  meets  in  this  building  than  with  the 
building  itself.  I  prefer  to  speak  of  the  spirit  rather  than 
of  the  body.  And  yet,  as  I  walked  around  Zion  to-day,  in 
accordance  with  the  divine  command,  viewing  the  towers, 
there  is  one  thing  that  impressed  me,  as  I  looked  at  this 
old  building,  and  that  was  its  excellent  foundation ;  and  I 
thought  that  had  very  much  to  do  with  its  having  lasted  a 
hundred  years  and  towards  its  present  good  condition ; 
for  we  all  know  that,  if  it  had  been  built  upon  a  poor 
foundation,  it  would  never  have  stood  these  tests  of  years. 
And,  as  I  thought  of  this  Church,  with  its  present  power 
and  influence  for  good,  and  the  influence  for  good  which 


56  CENTENNIAL   CELEBRATION 

it  has  been  exerting  in  all  these  past  years,  and  looked  for 
the  cause,  I  attributed  it  largely  to  that  fact,  that  it  was 
built  upon  a  rock.  It  was  well  built,  not  only  with 
reference  to  the  foundation  which  was  originally  laid,  but 
I  concluded  too,  as  I  looked  over  this  building  this  after- 
noon, that  it  had  been  well  built  in  that  the  structure  had 
been  put  together  in  such  a  way  as  to  make  it  permanent. 
And  so  I  thought  with  reference  to  this  Church :  there 
have  been  master  builders  here,  men  who  have  not  built 
with  hay,  wood,  and  stubble,  but  those  who  have  taken  the 
Word  of  God  and  used  it  in  such  a  way  as  to  erect  a 
structure  here  which  shall  last  and  which  has  exerted  a 
mighty  influence  for  good. 

When  I  was  told  that  I  was  to  speak  of  the  present,  I 
wondered  why  you  had  asked  me  to  speak  on  that  subject ; 
and  one  thing  that  came  into  my  mind  as  a  reason  and  sug- 
gested itself  was,  that  it  was  possibly  because  I  had  been 
longer  acquainted  with  your  present  pastor  than  any  other 
of  the  members  of  the  Argyle  Presbytery,  and  that  you, 
on  this  auspicious  occasion,  thought  it  not  out  of  place 
that  I  have  a  word  to  say  with  reference  to  the  present  out- 
look in  this  crisis ;  and  I  congratulate  you,  my  dear 
friends,  on  the  union  that  has  been  formed  this  afternoon. 

I  have  known  your  pastor  quite  a  number  of  years.  I 
first  met  him  in  college,  and  have  been  acquainted  with  him 
all  these  intervening  years  ;  and,  as  one  who  knows  him,  I 
congratulate  you  that  you  have  brought  into  the  Argyle 
Presbytery  one  who  we  feel  will  be  a  help  to  us  all,  and 
especially  a  great  helper  to  the  Church  of  Salem.  Your 
present  outlook  is  certainly  auspicious.  Everything  that 
relates  to  your  present  that  comes  up  to  my  mind  to-night  is 
of  such  a  character  as  to  lead  us  to  look  out  into  the  future. 
I  don't  want  to  trespass  on  what  my  brother  prophet, 
McEachron,  has  to  say,  but  I  cannot  help  but  feel  that  the 
outlook  is  very  encouraging. 
One  thing  that  came  to  my  mind  this  afternoon,  with 


OF   OLD  WHITE   CHURCH.  57 

reference  to  the  present,  is  that  there  is  a  great  deal  of, 
for  lack  of  a  better  word,  I  will  say  grit  in  this  congre- 
gation. They  have  certainly  a  great  deal  of  moral  courage 
when  so  goodly  a  number  have  come  out  to  the  session  this 
afternoon  in  the  midst  of  the  driving  storm.  I  think  that 
spoke  volumes  for  this  people.  And  then,  too,  I  know 
that  you  are  a  people  not  easily  dissuaded  from  the  house 
of  God.  All  these  things  speak  well  for  you.  Then,  with 
reference  to  the  pleasant  associations.  You  had  to-day 
the  assistance  and  help  of  your  neighboring  churches ;  and 
I  thought,  this  afternoon,  as  we  partook  of  the  bountiful 
meal  which  you  provided,  that  it  spoke  much  for  the 
spirit  of  unity  that  pervades  the  churches  in  this  village. 
It  was  not  always  thus.  I  do  not  speak  with  reference  to 
Salem,  but  in  many  places  you  know  it  was  not  always 
thus.  How  often  it  has  been  that  there  have  been  contro- 
versies between  the  different  congregations.  It  is  pleasant 
for  our  brother  to  come  into  a  place  where  the  brethren  in 
the  churches  dwell  together  in  unity. 

Just  let  me,  in  closing,  say  this  :  My  dear  friends,  you 
have  to  do  with  the  present.  And  as  your  history  is  to  be 
written,  and  we  trust  it  will  be  in  bright  letters,  for  the 
next  hundred  years,  let  me  say  that  it  will  be  what  you 
make  it  now.  Do  not  forget  that  you  are  not  to  rely  upon 
the  future  ;  you  are  to  do  your  work  well  now.  Did  you 
ever  notice  that  the  Master  s  commands  are  given  in  the 
present,  and  that  He  makes  His  promises  to  those  who  do 
their  work  well  now  ?  Let  us  then  realize  that,  if  we  are 
to  live  near  God  in  our  day  and  generation  and  leave  such 
a  record  behind  us  that  it  will  be  helpful  to  others,  it  can 
only  be  done  by  doing  our  work  well  now.  And  God  grant 
to  this  people,  to  all  of  us  gathered  here  this  evening, 
that  we  may  do  the  work  that  is  given  us  in  such  a  way 
that  it  may  be  ours  with  all  those  who  have  gone  forth 
from  this  house  to  meet  with  Him  and  spend  eternity  in 
the  house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens. 


"E  (5limp0C  of  tbe  future/' 

By  Rev.  W.  S.  McEachron. 

Me.  Chairman  :  Last  Saturday  evening,  unlike  one  of 
the  prophets  of  old,  I  was  not  ploughing  with  oxen,  but  I 
was  digging  in  the  Word,  when  the  message  came  to  me 
that  I  was  wanted  at  the  telephone,  I  made  haste  to  the 
telephone,  and  a  voice  came,  I  don' t  know  from  where — it 
sounded  like  a  voice  from  another  world — "Will  you 
speak  of  the  'Future  of  the  "White  Church,"  on  next 
Tuesday  evening  sometime?"  And,  fool  that  I  was,  I 
immediately  said,  "Yes,  I  will."  A  person  gets  so  accus- 
tomed to  responding  to  every  call,  and  especially  as, 
unlike  our  chairman,  I  am  the  son  of  a  deacon,  and  there- 
fore, when  summoned  to  prophesy,  I  supposed  that  the 
inspiration  would  be  given,  and,  if  I  was  called  to  foretell 
the  future,  it  would  be  revealed  to  me.  Well,  now,  I  have 
been  seeking  visions  and  revelations  ever  since,  and  they 
did  not  come  until,  this  evening,  I  thought  surely  something 
would  be  revealed  to  me  in  regard  to  the  future  of  the 
"White  Church." 

If  all  that  Dr.  Turnbull  said  about  you  is  true — and 
perhaps  there  is  room  for  argument  there — if  all  that  he 
said  about  you  in  the  present  is  true,  then  it  would  not  be 
so  difficult  to  tell  what  your  future  may  be. 

Now,  unlike  Dr.  Turnbull,  I  will  have  to  speak  a  long 
time.  All  the  speakers  to-night  have  intimated  that  you 
are  going  to  be  here  another  century.  If  I  have  to  foretell 
the  future,  then  I  am  likely  to  speak  for  a  hundred  years, 
because  we  can  only  tell  the  days  as  they  come. 

The  future  of  the  "White  Church."  We  use  this  word 
"church"  in  a  great  many  senses  nowadays.     So  far  as  I 


CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION.  59 

can  find — and  I  hope,  if  I  am  wrong,  some  of  these  D.  D.'s 
will  correct  me — the  Bible doesn' t  use  the  word  "church" 
in  a  single  instance  as  applying  to  the  building.  We  have 
the  word  in  the  New  Testament  as  including  the  whole 
body  of  Christian  believers,  all  who  were  Christ's;  and  we 
have  it  also  with  reference  to  particular  congregations,  like 
the  Church  at  Corinth :  but  I  do  not  think  we  have  the 
word  used  with  reference  to  the  building  itself,  called  the 
house  of  God,  the  meeting- place  of  God  with  His  people. 

Now,  if  I  were  to  speak  of  the  future  of  the  Church  in 
the  sense  of  the  body  of  Christian  believers  themselves,  to 
whom  the  Word  of  God  is  committed,  and  who  are  to  hold 
that  Word  forth,  then  I  would  say  that  this  Church  will 
be  in  the  future,  what  it  has  been  in  the  past — a  guide  and 
a  light  to  men.  The  outlook  from  some  standpoints  is 
dark,  but  yet  we  are  not  lacking  in  a  sense  of  hope. 
Everywhere,  on  the  religious  horizon,  the  coming  of  the 
saints  of  our  country,  the  deep  religious  instincts  of  the 
human  heart,  the  splendid  past  victories  of  the  Church, 
and,  above  all,  the  divine  promise  that  the  gates  of  hell 
shall  not  prevail  against  her,  forbid  our  forecasting  a  dark 
or  gloomy  outlook.  The  world  has  proclaimed  the  death 
of  the  Church  over  and  over  again ;  again  and  again  the 
seal  has  been  fixed  and  the  watch  has  been  placed  at  her 
supposed  grave.  But  again  and  again  the  Church  has 
come  forth  in  the  power  of  her  resurrection  of  life,  to  make 
new  conquests  in  the  kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour. 
No  merely  natural  force  can  hurt  her  spirit,  no  heresies, 
however  cancerous,  will  ever  eat  away  all  her  creed,  and 
no  attacks  of  skepticism  will  ever  overthrow  her  power. 
The  Church  of  the  future  has  the  same  foundation-rock  as 
the  Church  of  the  past — Jesus  Christ,  the  same  yesterday, 
to-day,  and  forever. 

But  perhaps  I  am  expected  to  speak  of  the  building. 
It  is  a  centennial  building.  The  human  mind  naturally  is 
interested  in  places,  not  so  much  for  their  own  sake  as  for 


6o  CENTENNIAL   CELEBRATION 

the  sake  of  associations  connected  with  them.  All  reli- 
gions have  their  sacred  places.  The  Jew  cannot  forget 
Jerusalem ;  the  Mohammedan  venerates  the  holy  Mecca ; 
and  every  true  child  of  God  holds  sacred  the  place  where 
he  has  met  with  his  Christian  brethren  to  worship  the 
common  Father,  to  express  his  love  and  devotion  to  the 
common  Saviour.  We  love  the  house  of  God.  It  has  been 
to  us  the  gate  of  heaven.  This  man  and  that  man  are  able 
to  say,  "Here  was  I  born."  A  day  in  God's  house  is 
better  than  a  thousand.  Thus  the  Church  stands  as  a  wit- 
ness ;  I  believe  that  this  Church  stands  as  a  witness ;  and 
I  am  in  the  building  as  a  witness  to  the  presence  of 
Almighty  God  in  this  community.  It  is  here  God  has 
promised  to  meet  with  His  people.  Here  has  been  the 
meeting-place  of  hearts  with  God.  And,  as  a  witness  of 
the  presence  of  God  in  this  community,  the  piety  of  the 
Church  will  be  evidenced  by  their  care  of  God's  house; 
and,  so  far  as  I  can  see,  if  you  take  care  of  this  house,  it 
may  stand  another  hundred  years.  You  all  know  that  if 
you  go  through  a  community  and  see  the  church  running 
down,  the  shingles  loose,  the  clapboards  flapping,  the 
window-panes  out,  the  paint  coming  off,  you  need  no  one 
to  tell  you  that  religion  is  at  a  low  ebb  in  that  community; 
you  know  very  well  that  the  will  of  the  Lord  is  not  being 
done  by  many  people  there.  But  where  God's  people  have 
that  regard  for  the  place  of  meeting  that  they  care  for  it, 
it  is  one  of  the  best  evidences  of  their  piety.  And  so  I 
simply  say  that  I  believe  that,  whether  we  sjjeak  of  you  as 
a  congregation  of  people,  or  the  house,  the  meeting-place 
with  God,  there  is  a  bright  future  before  you,  with 
splendid  prospects  and  glorious  hopes. 

God,  in  His  providence,  has  removed  from  you  one  who 
so  long  held  forth  the  truth ;  but  God,  in  His  kind  provi- 
dence, has  brought  to  you  another,  under  whom,  sup- 
ported and  sustained  with  unfaltering  loyalty  and  faithful 
devotion,  you  will  preserve  the  best  traditions  of  this  work 


REV.   DAVID    CRAIG    STEWART 
Installed  1897 


OF   OLD  WHITE   CHURCH.  6i 

of  tlie  Cliurch  ;  you  will  broaden  and  deepen  its  beneficent 
spirit;  you  will  make  it  even  more  than  ever  before  the 
place  of  nourishment  and  refreshment  for  the  struggling, 
toiling,  weary  souls — a  place  of  discipline  and  inspiration 
for  all  the  strong  and  courageous  and  hopeful  souls  that 
come  beneath  its  roof  ;  and,  until  you  cease  to  be,  you  will 
love  this  place.  Forgetting,  then,  the  things  which  are 
behind,  press  forward  toward  the  mark  of  the  prize  of  the 
high  calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus,  for  from  it  are  the  best 
things  and  grandest  things.  The  glorious  hope  of  the 
Church  is  beyond  in  the  future.  Bright  is  that  future. 
And  may  we  rise,  and  all  of  the  people  of  God,  to  the 
blessed  privileges  and  responsibilities  just  now  before  us. 


«   «  «  « 


Address  by  Rev.  Dr.  E.  P.  Sprague. 

Getsttlemeist,  Christian  Friends,  and  Neighbors:  The 
younger  sister,  the  "  Brick  Church,"  sends  her  greetings 
and  congratulations  to-night  to  her  elder  sister,  the  "White 
Church."  And  sisters,  as  they  are,  in  the  Presbyterian 
faith,  we  are  not  dissatisfied  that  one  says  the  other  is  the 
elder,  for  we  are  not  ashamed  of  years  to-night,  but  rather 
glory  in  them.  I  say  the  younger  sister.  It  is  emphati- 
cally true,  if  we  refer,  as  we  do  so  largely  to-night,  to 
Church  buildings.  It  comes  very  close  to  being  the  twin 
sister,  if  we  use  the  word  in  its  strictly  biblical  sense 
to-night ;  for  the  old  New  England  congregation,  as  it  was 
called,  dates  back  just  about  as  many  years  as  the  life  of 
this  Scotch  congregation,  as  it  used  to  be  called  in  this 
town,  that  was  then  called  by  the  one  people  New  Perth,  and 
by  the  other  White  Creek.     Had  the  fires  dealt  as  gently 


62  CENTENNIAL   CELEBRATION 

with  the  old  New  England  congregation  as  they  did  with 
the  Scotch  congregation,  it  might  have  been  a  Church  a 
hundred  years  old  that  stands  on  that  other  spot  to-night. 
But  three  times  the  Church  building  erected  there  has 
been  destroyed  by  fire.  I  count  it  as  something  very 
pleasant  that  we  might  join  in  a  measure  in  your  celebra- 
tion, and  have  the  gladness  and  pleasure  and  i)rofit  of 
having  you  with  us  at  the  other  Church  building  between 
services;  for  these  two  Churches  and  congregations  have 
been  long  close  together  all  through  these  hundred  years 
and  more. 

We  are  speaking  of  Church  edifices.  Let  me  add  just  a 
word  or  two  in  the  line  of  history,  to  show  the  appro- 
priateness of  our  drawing  together  to-night,  because  we 
have  been  giving  one  to  the  other  all  through  these  years. 
Away  back,  a  hundred  years  and  more  ago,  the  first  Church 
edifice  erected  in  this  village  was,  as  you  have  been  told, 
the  little  log  meeting  house  down  in  the  southern  part  of 
the  village.  Do  you  know  what  became  of  that  log  meet- 
ing house?  The  New  England  congregation  had  started 
and  partly  finished  their  first  meeting  house  almost  on  the 
exact  spot  where  the  " Brick  Church"  stands  to-day ;  and 
when  your  ancestors  built  their  second  building,  the  one 
that  stands  on  the  top  of  the  hill,  the  logs  of  that  first 
meeting  house  were  taken,  and  more  than  half  of  them 
used  to  form  a  stockade  around  the  New  England 
congregation's  meeting  house,  which  was  turned  thus 
into  a  fort  and  used  for  defence.  During  the  Revolu- 
tionary War  the  two  congregations  met  together  in 
that  log  meeting  house  and  united  in  making  that  their 
meeting  house  and  fort.  And  I  say,  one  Church  and 
one  congregation  has  been  giving  to  another  through  all 
these  years. 

You  go  back  a  hundred  years  for  the  building  of  this 
Church,  and  mention  has  been  made  of  the  one  who  was 
most  influential  in  building  this  Church  edifice.     And  the 


OF  OLD  WHITE  CHURCH.  63 

one  who  did  the  most  therefore  and  helped  it  on  the  most, 
and  whose  name  may  well  be  mentioned,  as  it  has  been 
here  to-night,  was  a  trustee  of  the  other  congregation  and 
had  been  a  leader  and  influential  man  all  through  the 
years  in  the  other  congregation.  He  gave  his  daughter  to 
be  the  wife  of  the  pastor  here,  and,  when  the  daughter 
came  here,  Gen.  Williams  came  also  here.  You  gave  the 
logs  of  the  first  meeting  house  to  us  to  help  us  turn  our 
Church  into  a  fort,  and  we  gave  the  first,  and  head  one,  of 
our  trustees  to  you,  to  help  build  this  meeting  house  and 
to  give  you  the  support  of  all  these  hundred  years  of 
the  sons  who  have  followed  him  and  have  upheld  his 
name. 

May  I  add  only  Just  one  more  word?  There  come  to 
my  mind  remembrances  of  the  past,  as  this  is  not  only  the 
centennial  celebration  of  the  building  of  this  Church,  but 
there  have  been  to-day  the  services  of  the  installation  of 
your  pastor.  I  remember  very  well  the  other  installation 
services  of  my  own  and  of  your  other  pastors  here ;  and 
looking  back  over  the  days  that  are  past,  I  lift  up  unto 
God  an  earnest  plea  and  prayer,  and  murmur  the  prayer 
called  up  by  those  days  with  hope  for  the  days  that  are  to 
come.  I  remember  well  the  first  winter  that  followed  my 
installation  as  pastor  of  yonder  Church,  and  the  revival 
services  in  which  Brother  Forsyth  and  myself  shared  here 
and  there.  I  remember  and  thank  God  for  the  services  of 
the  first  winter  that  followed  Rev.  Mr.  Mackenzie's  in- 
stallation as  pastor  in  this  Church,  and  the  revival  services 
that  followed  here  and  there.  And  I  pray  God  that  this 
Church,  within  its  walls,  and  that  Church,  within  its  walls, 
may  see  a  like  blessing  following  the  installation  services  of  a 
pastor  in  one  of  these  Churches :  that  this  winter  we  may  to- 
gether worship  and  praise  God  and  rejoice  as  souls  are 
born  into  His  kingdom,  into  His  Church  on  earth  and 
into  the  Church  that  endureth  forever  and  praiseth  Him 
forever. 


64  CENTENNIAL   CELEBRATION 

Address  by  Rev.  R.  D.  Williamson. 

Mr.  Chairman:  I  would  like  to  bring  you  the  congratu- 
lations of  a  sister  Presbytery,  the  Alban}'^  Presbytery,  the 
nearest  one  to  the  Argyle  Presbytery  ;  and,  while  I  think 
that  I  am  the  only  representative  of  that  Presbytery  here 
to-night,  I  know  that  all  the  congregation  of  that  Pres- 
bytery, if  they  could  be  represented  here  to-night,  would 
congratulate  you  on  this  one  hundreth  anniversary  of  this 
Church.  Does  it  not  seem  somewhat  strange  that  we 
should  congratulate  people  on  getting  old  ?  It  is  not  the 
usual  thing.  We  usually  extend  pity  and  compassion  to 
those  who  grow  old,  because  there  is  a  feebleness  connected 
with  it,  a  kind  of  a  breaking  down  or  breaking  up.  But  in 
this  case  there  is  nothing  of  that  kind.  There  are  no  in- 
dications, so  far  as  I  can  see,  either  on  the  outside  of  this 
building  or  on  the  inside  of  it,  of  any  feebleness.  Taking 
this  Church  building,  and  considering  the  history  we  have 
had  of  it  here  to-night,  and  looking  at  the  Church  building 
as  we  see  it  here  to-night,  I  think  that  we  can  safely  say 
that  this  Church  has  been  growing  more  beautiful.  Evi- 
dently the  additions  which  have  been  made  to  it  have 
beautified  it,  have  made  it  so  that  you  can  worship  in  it 
more  satisfactorily.  And,  as  we  look  around  to-night  and 
see  these  inscriptions  on  the  gallery,  when  we  see  nature 
brought  in  to  adorn  the  house  of  God,  when  we  see  our 
National  emblem  here  before  us,  it  is  something  unusual 
when  we  remember  this  old  Church  as  it  was  a  hundred 
years  ago.  It  is  doubtful  whether  the  old  flag  was  brought 
in  then ;  it  is  doubtful  whether  there  could  have  been  any 
flowers  taken  into  the  Church  on  that  occasion.  And  so, 
to-night,  I  think  that  the  Church  is  becoming  more  and 
more  beautiful.  And,  when  we  see  these  beautiful  flowers 
on  the  xolatform  and  see  nature  adorning  the  holy  house  of 
the  Ivord,  we  are  glad  to  see  that  nature  is  brought  in  to 
helj)  beautify  God's  house.     We  make  our  homes  beauti- 


OF   OLD   WHITE   CHURCH.  65 

f ul ;  but  should  not  our  Church  be  more  beautiful  ?  It  is 
where  we  meet  with  God  ;  it  is  where  we  meet  together  to 
receive  His  benediction  ;  and  if  there  is  any  one  place  on 
the  earth  that  ought  to  be  made  beautiful,  it  is  the  Lord's 
house.  And  I  think  this  congregation  to-night  ought  to 
be  congratulated  on  the  beauty  of  their  Church  edifice. 


«  «  «  « 


Address  by  Rev.  G.  C.  Morhouse. 

I  have  been  trying  to  imagine  all  day,  as  I  have  been 
here  in  this  service,  what  it  must  mean  to  you  people;  and 
it  is  only  in  imagination  that  I  can  reach  anything  like 
what  it  must  mean.  I  appreciate  that  thought  of  our 
brother,  that  we  associate  our  spiritual  experience  with 
places.  We  are  in  some  ways  so  constituted  that  we  are 
bound  by  the  limits  of  places.  I  have  not  had  the  experi- 
ence of  a  long  dwelling-place  and  a  church  home  as  you 
have.  I  left  the  church  in  which  I  had  my  spiritual  birth 
in  the  early  days  of  my  spiritual  experience,  and  I  have 
had  thirteen  church  homes  in  these  years  that  have  since 
passed.  But  I  think  of  you,  sitting  here  to-night,  inside 
these  sacred  walls,  a  hundred  years  old — five  generations. 
Why,  it  must  be  wonderful ;  the  impression  must  be  glori- 
ous that  comes  to  the  minds,  especially  of  these  older 
people  to-day.  What  experiences,  what  thrilling  sensa- 
tions accompanying  those  experiences,  must  come  home  to 
your  hearts.  I  congratulate  you  that  you  have  had  the 
privileges  of  this  Church  home  inside  these  sacred  walls  all 
these  years  ;  and  you  ought  to  be  grateful  to-night,  and  I 
believe  you  are  grateful,  that  God  has  protected  your 
dwelling-place  from  the  devouring  elements,  and  that  it  is 
preserved  to  you  through  all  these  decades.     You  know 


66  CENTENNIAL   CELEBRATION 

that  the  congregation  that  I  represent  here,  in  these  years, 
has  erected  three  church  edifices.  They  have  been,  as  my 
brother  has  suggested  concerning  the  other  church,  at  least 
one  of  them,  destroyed  by  fire.  God  has  dealt  very  kindly 
with  you  ;  His  providence  has  been  over  you,  and  surely 
your  history,  not  merely  in  material  things,  but  in  spirit- 
ual thing  and  in  the  upbuilding  of  character,  has  been  a 
remarkable  and  glorious  one. 

And,  in  conclusion,  I  want  to  join,  from  my  heart,  in 
the  hope  exj^ressed  by  Dr.  Sprague  in  his  closing  remarks. 
I  do  hope  and  pray,  my  dear  brother,  that  your  coming  to 
this  people  and  your  being  installed  over  this  people  and 
this  Church  may  be  followed  by  an  outpouring  of  the 
Spirit  of  God  upon  this  community  ;  that  we  pastors, 
working  together  under  the  manifestations  of  the  Divine 
Spirit  and  in  the  unity  of  the  spirit  and  bond  of  peace 
and  under  this  gracious  divine  infiuence  that  will  come 
down  upon  our  ministry,  may,  each  of  us,  be  privileged  to 
see,  in  the  months  that  are  before  us,  a  harvest  here  that 
shall  make  glad  our  hearts.  I  congratulate  you  on  the  ex- 
ercises and  the  associations  and  the  influences  of  this  day. 


«    «    ts    « 


Address  by  Rev.  A.  W.  Morris. 

I  think  I  should  be  very  ungrateful  indeed  if  I  did  not 
say  a  word  on  this  occasion.  It  has  been  very  seldom  in 
my  life  that  I  have  enjoyed  a  meeting  as  I  have  the  one  to- 
day. I  have  been  here  and  been  entertained,  where  I  had 
nothing  to  do,  and,  consequently,  no  nervous  strain,  and  I 
have  enjoyed  it  to  the  full. 

I  think  the  people  of  this  congregation  certainly  have 
not  only  a  right  to  be  congratulated  most  heartily  to-day, 


OF   OLD   WHITE   CHURCH.  67 

but  certainly  there  is  something  in  connection  with  this 
celebration  that  should  call  from  each  heart  here  profound 
gratitude  to  Almighty  God,  not  only  that  your  building 
has  been  preserved  for  a  hundred  years,  but  that  this  day— 
which  indicates  something,  I  take  it,  of  the  spiritual  life 
of  the  congregation — has  been  so  agreeably  observed,  and 
that  you  are  so  full  to-night  of  spiritual  life.  From  what  I 
know  of  the  parties  forming  a  union  here  to-day,  I  cannot 
help  but  believe  that  the  future  is  bright.  I  have  known 
something  of  the  Salem  congregation  for  more  than  twenty - 
two  years,  and  I  have  failed  ever  to  find  anything  unfavor- 
able of  them.  I  don't  know  that  I  ought  to  tell  you  how 
long  I  have  known  your  pastor,  for  fear  he  might  think  he 
is  older  than  he  is.  I  have  known  him  for  at  least  twenty- 
seven  years  ;  and  away  back  in  the  heavy  end  of  the  '60's 
and  the  beginning  of  the  '70's  he  and  I  used  to  tumble 
around  at  a  fearful  rate  to  get  over  Greek  roots  and  mathe- 
matical problems.  And  I  don't  think  that  you  ought  to 
judge  him  by  the  top  of  his  head :  he  has  a  heart  that  is 
very  large,  as  I  think  you  will  find  as  he  gets  along  in  his 
life  among  you.  I  have  always  known  him  very  favorably, 
and  he  suggested  to  me  the  other  day  that  I  had  been 
removed  from  the  position  of  addressing  the  pastor  to-day 
because  I  knew  too  much  about  him.  I  could  not  have 
said  anything  bad  about  him  if  I  had  wanted  to  do  so. 
And  I  hope  that  the  union  that  has  started  out  so  well 
may  be  long,  and  that  a  great  spiritual  blessing  will  not 
only  come  to  this  congregation,  as  has  been  expressed  by 
a  co-pastor  here,  but  will  come  to  the  whole  community 
and  to  every  church  in  the  village. 

«  «  «  « 
Address  by  Mr.  Skellie. 

I  was  invited  here  to  attend  this  centennial  and  to  make 
a  few  remarks  ;  but  I  could  not  put  into  language  the  joy 


68  CENTENNIAL   CELEBRATION 

I  have  had  in  attending  the  meetings  to-day.  And,  to 
show  you  the  interest  I  felt  in  your  centennial,  as  I  had 
other  business  which  had  to  be  attended  to  in  the  forepart 
of  the  day,  I  had  to  start  at  three  o'clock  in  the  morning 
and  drive  twenty  miles  in  the  rain  before  I  took  the  train. 

The  first  thing  I  shall  say  is,  that  I  miss  my  dear  old 
pastor,  Dr.  Gordon,  and  I  call  to  your  remembrance  this 
dear  one  of  your  Presbytery.  I  stand  here  as  one  of  his 
children — as  it  were,  the  first  one,  if  I  remember  right — that 
was  taken  into  the  church  at  Coila  after  he  was  connected 
with  that  church,  about  forty  years  ago. 

Now,  what  I  was  invited  here  for  particularly  to  speak 
of  upon  this  occasion  was  this :  In  the  good  providence 
of  God,  two  weeks  ago,  this  afternoon,  I  was  invited  to 
attend  a  pastors'  convention  in  New  York  City  in  regard 
to  holding  a  day  of  prayer  and  fasting  all  over  the  United 
States  in  every  evangelical  church.  Having  been  invited 
there  to  take  part  with  those  pastors,  although  a  layman, 
I  was  invited  by  the  chairman  of  the  committee  to  use  my 
influence  in  stirring  up  the  congregations  near  where  I  was 
located,  that  they  might  all  partake  in  this  important 
work,  by  meeting  on  to-morrow  afternoon,  between  two 
and  five  o'clock,  to  pray  for  the  outpouring  of  God's  Spirit 
throughout  the  United  States ;  that  they  may  be  revived, 
that  God' s  blessing  may  rest  upon  us,  that  a  revival  of  His 
work  may  commence  in  the  hearts  of  His  own  beloved 
children,  that  we  may  look  forth  during  the  coming  season 
to  one  of  the  most  important  revivals  of  God's  work  ever 
known  upon  this  continent. 

I  went  to  Greenwich  on  yesterday  to  stir  up  the  pastors 
there  as  well  as  I  might  to  take  hold  of  this  work.  I  in- 
formed them  in  Cambridge  on  Saturday.  I  have  arranged 
with  the  pastors  of  this  vicinity  to  meet  at  Mr.  Graham' s 
Church  to-morrow  afternoon  at  the  hour  spoken  of. 

I  wish  to  add  that,  if  this  congregation  wishes  one  of  the 
greatest  blessings  it  ever  knew,  it  will  not  be  unmindful  of 


OF   OLD   WHITE   CHURCH.  69 

the  fact  that  to-morrow  is  one  of  the  most  important  days 
in  the  history  of  the  United  States,  as  it  is  appointed  to  be 
a  day  of  fasting  and  prayer  for  one  of  the  most  important 
works  that  ever  took  place.  Now,  if  we  will  all  engage  in 
prayer  for  the  outpouring  of  God's  Spirit,  that  we  our- 
selves, individually,  may  have  God's  work  revived  in  our 
hearts,  there  is  no  trouble  whatever  about  the  unconverted. 


t(^^ 


RE\\   JAMES    C.    FORSYTHE,    D.  D. 
1858-1870 


**  1Remini0ccncc0/' 

By  James  C.  Forsyth. 

Dear  Friends  :  As  I  find  it  out  of  my  power  to  be  present 
in  person  and  occupy  a  few  minutes  in  giving  some  informal 
reminiscences  of  this  venerable  building  —  which  has  stood 
unmoved  for  one  hundred  years,  and  bids  fair  to  do  good 
service  for  one  hundred  years  to  come — I  will,  with  your  per- 
mission, speak  by  letter  of  some  of  the  memories  I  still  cherish 
and  of  events  which  transpired  during  my  twelve  years'  pas- 
torate of  the  old  "  White  Church." 

At  the  date  of  my  call,  April,  1858,  this  building  stood  very 
much  as  it  came  from  the  hands  of  your  noble  and  self-denying 
fathers  and  mothers,  who,  with  no  little  toil  and  expenditure 
of  hard-earned  money,  built  this  temple  in  the  wilderness  in 
which  to  worship  God,  with  no  one  to  fear  or  to  molest.  It 
was  beautiful  in  its  stability  and  riigged  simplicity,  and  by  no 
means  devoid  of  architectural  symmetry,  as  is  manifest  this 
day. 

Its  floors  were  then  uncarpeted,  its  pews  uncushioned  ;  and 
the  melody  of  its  music,  as  rendered  by  loving  hearts  and 
willing  lips  in  Rouse's  rugged  version  of  David's  Psalms,  was 
"unadulterated"  with  organ  notes,  then  regarded  by  many 
with  abhorrence. 

During  the  interval  which  elapsed  between  the  making  out 
of  the  call  and  my  installation,  the  building  was  painted  without 
and  within,  the  floors  were  carpeted  and  the  seats  cushioned, 
and  the  Church  put  in  that  neat  and  attractive  condition  in 
which  it  remained  during  my  pastorate,  with  some  added 
repairs  immediately  preceding  the  centennial  of  the  Church's 
establishment  in  Salem :  for  which  repairs  the  Church  is  in- 
debted to  some  of  her  earnest  and  faithful  female  workers. 

At  the  beginning  of  my  pastorate  the  Church  passed  through 
a  crisis :   to  which,  at  this  distant  day,  I  may  be  permitted  to 


72  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

advert  as  one  of  the  important  "reminiscences"  of  that  period. 
The  subject  of  a  union  between  the  Associate  Reformed  Church 
and  the  Associate  Church  had  been  agitated  for  more  than 
twenty  years.  At  the  meeting  of  the  Associate  Reformed 
General  Synod,  which  was  held  in  the  City  of  New  York  in 
May,  1857,  the  basis  of  union  had  been  accepted  by  this  body ; 
and  at  the  subsequent  meeting  of  the  General  Synods  of  both 
Churches,  held  in  the  City  of  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  the  following 
year,  the  union  was  consummated  with  great  joy  and  thanks- 
giving. 

This  Church  did  not  look  with  favor  on  the  union ;  and 
after  I  was  called,  and  before  I  was  installed,  a  meeting  of 
the  congregation  was  called,  and  a  resolution  was  passed — 
how  unanimously  I  do  not  know — declaring  that  they  would 
not  go  into  the  union.  The  subject  created  both  discussion 
and  feeling,  and  at  the  beginning  of  my  pastorate  there  was 
not  perfect  union  in  the  Church  on  the  subject.  But  as  we 
were  in  the  union  by  the  action  of  our  supreme  judicatory, 
and  could  not  get  out  of  it  without  great  danger  of  tearing  the 
Church  asunder,  my  advice  was  that  we  remain  quiet,  and 
cease  to  agitate  the  subject  until  we  saw  whether  we  were  to 
be  disturbed  in  the  enjoyment  of  our  Christian  liberty;  and  if 
we  were,  we  could  then  act  intelligently  and  unitedly. 

Happily  this  line  of  action  was  adopted.  Peace  ensued, 
prosperity  followed.  And  now  that  more  than  a  generation 
has  passed,  with  these  two  diverse  elements  ever  residing  in 
your  midst,  the  wisdom  of  that  course  will  not  be  called  in 
question  by  any. 

The  roll  of  the  Church  membership,  as  well  as  I  was  able 
to  make  it  out,  in  1858,  consisted  of  one  hundred  and  sixty-four 
members;  and  the  worship  of  the  Church  was  in  all  respects,  as 
to  its  order,  as  it  was  in  the  old  Church  in  her  native  home  be- 
yond the  seas,  with  the  sole  exception  that  "lining  out"  in  the 
praise  service  had  been  dropped.*  On  the  Saturday  preceding 
the  communion  Sabbath,  tokens  (a  piece  of  lead  with  A.  R. 

*  This  custom  consisted  in  the  chorister  reading  two  lines,  which  were  sung  by  the 
congregation ;  then  two  more  were  read,  and  sung.  And  this  continued  till  the  Psalm 
was  sung. 


OF   OLD   WHITE   CHURCH.  73 

Stamped  on  it)  were  distributed  by  the  pastor  to  the  commu- 
nicants present.  And  it  is  a  pleasant  memory,  that,  with  but 
few  exceptions,  they  were  present  at  the  Saturday  service  and 
received  these  tokens  of  admission  to  the  Lord's  table.  On 
the  Sabbath  morning — it  was  Sabbath  then,  not  Siinday — the 
table  was  spread  in  the  front  aisle;  and  the  first  duty  of  the 
elders  was  to  receive  from  each  member  his  token  soon  after 
he  or  she  had  been  seated  at  the  table.  Table  followed  table 
until  all  the  members  had  communed.  It  was  a  solemn  and 
impressive  mode  of  commemorating  the  death  of  our  Divine 
Lord  ;  and  only  want  of  space,  on  account  of  the  narrow  cen- 
tral aisle  and  the  increase  of  our  members,  caused  us  to  drop 
it  and  serve  the  communion  to  members  in  their  pews. 

But,  before  this,  "tokens"  were  dropped,  because  there 
were  not  enough  to  go  around,  and  we  had  outgrown  that 
nomadic  institution,  which,  at  the  time  of  its  adoption  in 
Scotland,  might  have  been  necessary. 

I  would  not  do  justice  to  these  "reminiscences"  if  I  failed 
to  speak  of  a  memory  which  is  very  dear  to  me,  and  by  which 
this  Church  was  greatly  strengthened  in  spiritual  life — the 
Church's  true  strength — and  the  angels  in  heaven  caused  to 
rejoice  with  exceeding  great  joy. 

The  "  week  of  prayer "  was  begun  in  the  session  room,  on 
the  night  of  the  first  Monday  of  January,  1868,  and  continued 
from  night  to  night  until  the  nth  of  April  of  the  same  year. 
During  all  this  long  period  the  services  were  well  attended — 
many  coming  from  the  country  every  night  through  snow  and 
cold.  The  interest  increased  until  we  were  obliged  to  leave 
the  session  room  and  occupy  the  body  of  the  Church — a  marked 
example  of  the  power  of  divine  truth  to  attract  and  hold  and 
save;  for  during  all  these  meetings  no  modern  appliances  were 
used.  Outside  aid,  except  on  two  or  three  occasions,  and  only 
for  a  few  nights,  was  not  called  in;  and  the  services  rendered 
by  the  members  of  the  two  Presbyterian  Churches — the  Brick 
was  then  vacant — were  purely  voluntary.  I  never  called  on 
any  one  to  take  part.  The  promptings  of  the  Spirit  which 
they  had  received  in  answer  to  the  prayer  of  faith  actuated 
them  to  testify  to  His  power  to  save,  and  of  which  they  were 


74  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

the  living  witnesses,  was  their  only  incentive  to  speak  and 
pray,  as  many  of  them  did  both  ably  and  well.  Many  of  these 
testimonies  were  given  before  uniting  with  the  Church.  Of 
this  Henry  Safford  was  a  memorable  example.  And  I  must 
here  record  with  gratitude  the  aid  given  by  good  Deacon 
Atwood,  of  the  Brick  Church. 

As  a  result  of  these  scriptural  services  and  of  the  labors  and 
prayers  of  the  good  people  of  the  two  Churches,  of  whom  I 
could  name  many  (some  of  whom  still  live),  at  our  regular 
spring  communion  twenty-five  were  received  into  the  Church 
by  confession  of  their  faith  in  Christ,  of  whom  eleven  were 
baptized;  some  of  these,  by  reason  of  years,  were  nearly  ripe 
for  the  grave. 

As  it  was  manifest  that  this  ingathering  had  not  fully 
reaped  the  harvest,  the  meetings  were  continued  each  night 
as  before,  unaided  from  without,  but  aided  mightily  by  the 
Spirit  and  workers  resident  in  the  field.  Another  communion 
was  held  April  nth,  when  fifteen  more  were  added — fourteen 
by  examination,  five  of  whom  were  baptized.  And  as  though 
God  would  show  us  His  willingness  to  give  us  His  Holy  Spirit 
when  we  ask  and  are  ready  to  receive,  those  were  added  at 
our  June  communion;  but,  six  weeks  later,  tzvelve  more  members 
were  added — nine  by  examination,  six  of  whom  were  baptized. 

The  immediate  result  of  this  blessed  visit  of  the  Spirit  in 
response  to  \X\&  faitJi^  labors  diXid.  prayers  oi(jod^'s^&o^\e,  was 
fifty-nine  added  to  this  Church  by  a  confession  of  their  faith 
in  Christ.  As  evidence  that  this  movement  was  of  the  Spirit, 
I  am  glad  to  say  that  during  my  pastorate  those  who  came  into 
the  Church  at  this  time  proved  their  '■^  faith  by  their  works." 

I  would  be  untrue  to  one  of  the  very  pleasant  memories  of 
this  blessed  life  experience  did  I  fail  to  refer  to  a  feature 
of  our  spring  communion  which  gladdend  many  Christian 
hearts,  and  is  still  fondly  cherished.  The  "  supply "  for  the 
Brick  Church  failing  to  come,  on  our  communion  Sabbath  fol- 
lowing the  awakening  they,  in  a  body,  came  to  our  Church. 
The  question  then  became  a  very  practical  one:  Shall  we 
invite  them  to  our  comnmnion  ?  You  know  that,  in  theory  at 
least,  the  United  Presbyterian  Church  is  close  communion. 


OF   OLD  WHITE   CHURCH.  75 

By  the  authority  of  the  session  I  invited  them  all  to  come 
and  with  us  take  their  seats  at  the  Lord's  table,  and  with  us 
banquet  on  His  love.  They  did  come  and  were  glad  ;  and  the 
memory  of  that  communion  is  sweet. 

Did  time  permit  I  would  gladly  speak  of  the  CJmrch's  cen- 
tennial, when  her  sons  and  her  daughters  came  from  near  and 
from  far  to  honor  their  mother  and  to  revive  memories  of  years 
and  of  joys  that  had  passed.  But  the  record  of  that  meeting 
is  in  your  library,  and  almost  all  who  participated  are  in  the 
Church  above. 

Nor  will  time  permit  me  to  speak  of  our  Evergreen 
Cemetery,  which  was  begun  and  completed  while  my  home 
was  in  your  village,  and  in  which  interest  is  ever  increased 
and  deepened  as,  one  by  one,  our  dear  ones  are  gathered  and 
in  that  beautiful  spot  laid  down  to  sleep  the  dreamless  sleep 
of  death. 

My  memories  of  the  old  ''White  Church"  are  very  many 
and  very  dear,  including  not  only  the  building,  but  those  who 
worshiped  there,  many  of  whom  are  now  dwellers  in  our 
Father's  house  above. 

One  closing  thought  I  will  express  with  pleasure  and  with 
pride,  and  that  is,  that  no  uncertain  sound  has  ever  been 
heard  from  the  pulpit  of  the  old  "White  Church."  Her 
pastors  all,  both  great  and  small — and  some  of  them  were  men 
of  renown  in  their  day — have  been  true  to  their  commission  and 
loyal  to  their  Master :  not  wise  above  that  which  is  written. 
And  the  fruit  has  been,  and  is,  a  united,  prosperous  Church,  and 
a  people  firm  in  their  faith,  loyal  to  their  Church,  and,  through 
the  means  of  grace  here  enjoyed,  ripening  for  the  pure  joy  and 
the  blessed  rest  of  that  world  of  perfect  love  to  which  the 
Saviour,  one  by  one,  calls  His  ransomed  family  to  dwell  for- 
ever with  Himself,  in  the  enjoyment  of  that  glory  unspeakable 
to  which  He  has  attained  as  the  triumphant  Redeemer  of  man 
from  death  and  the  grave. 

As  it  has  been  in  the  past,  so  may  it  ever  be  to  the  end  : 
God,  by  His  Truth  and  Holy  Spirit,  constantly  residing  in 
the  old  "  White  Church,"  to  educate,  to  comfort,  to  bless,  and 
to  save. 


#- 

^HBf^^^^^jF  *''^^ 

« 

Jb|ig|%:,H 

■ 

REV.   WILLIAM    A.    MACKENZIE 
1871-1897 


The  Committee  of  Invitation  received  many  letters 
from  friends  at  a  distance,  some  of  which  were  read  that 
evening.  All  that  was  written  being  worthy  of  preserva- 
tion, copious  extracts  have  been  taken,  and  are  here 
subjoined. 

The  first  was  penned  by  Rev.  William  A.  Mackenzie^ 
the  immediate  predecessor  of  the  pastor  just  installed. 
His  words  were  not  written  with  the  intent  of  being  given 
to  the  public  ;  but  who  could  speak  more  to  the  point  con- 
cerning the  old  "White  Church"  than  he,  who  occupied 
its  pulpit  for  over  a  quarter  of  the  century '{  The  following 
is  an  extract  from  his  letter : 

I  hope  that  the  day  may  be  one  of  blessing,  and  that  it 
may  be  the  beginning  of  a  new  era  of  prosperity  to  the  old 
"White  Church,"  and  that  your  sanctuary,  which  has  from 
the  very  beginning  been  a  high  throne,  from  which  the  Mas- 
ter has  issued  His  orders,  given  His  counsel,  extended  His 
sceptre,  pronounced  His  blessing,  received  the  sinful,  com- 
forted the  sorrowing,  strengthened  the  weak,  warned  the 
erring,  lifted  up  the  cast  down,  pointed  to  the  better  world 
and  moulded  and  shaped  therefor,  laid  His  hand  upon  the 
little  children  and  blessed  them,  and  sent  the  bereaved  with 
their  dead  to  bury  them  out  of  their  sight,  with  the  comforts 
of  His  gospel  in  their  hearts — this,  and  much  more  which  I 
cannot  now  record,  may  the  place  of  your  sanctuary  be  in  the 
one  hundred  years  to  come,  as  it  has  been  in  the  one  hundred 
years  past — a  '•'■glorious  high  throne"  from  which  the  Master 
may  still  be  the  same  to  such  as  may  gather  within  its 
walls. 


78  CENTENNIAL   CELEBRATION 

His  younger  son,  Wm.  A.  Mackenzie,  Jr.,  a  bright  and 
thriving  young  lawyer,  now  living  in  Syracuse,  makes  this 
remark  in  his  letter : 

It  seems  hard  for  me  to  realize  that  my  own  associations 
with  the  old  building  extend  over  one-quarter  of  the  time  you 
celebrate. 

Of  all  the  occasions,  joyful  and  sad,  which  come  to  my 
mind  with  the  thought  of  the  dear  old  place,  it  would  be  im- 
possible for  me  to  speak,  but  I  would  like  to  know  what  others 
have  to  say,  and  hope  that  the  exercises  will  be  fully  reported. 


«   «   «   « 


Rev.  H.  L.  Singleton,  D.  D.,  whose  letter  follows, 
almost  in  full,  had  temporary  charge  of  the  congregation 
for  several  of  the  fall  and  winter  months,  some  years 
ago,  during  the  illness  and  consequent  absence  of  Mr. 
Mackenzie : 

I  sincerely  regret  that  an  engagement  in  this  city  pre- 
vents me  from  attending  the  exercises  of  the  "White  Church  " 
edifice  to  which  you  have  kindly  invited  me. 

The  occasion  will  be  not  only  an  interesting  one,  but  an 
important  one.  The  "  White  Church  "  has  a  history  that  is 
in  some  of  its  aspects  unique.  It  begins  in  the  old  country, 
much  of  which  was  tragic  ;  it  records  a  chapter  of  two  months 
and  a  half  on  the  boisterous  waves  of  the  Atlantic;  it  signalizes 
it  as  the  first  watch-tower  of  Zion  erected  in  the  wilderness  of 
the  New  World  north  of  Albany.  It  became  the  fountain 
source  whence  flowed  the  streams  of  family  and  ecclesiastical 
life  that  supplied  and  enriched  the  surrounding  country.  The 
lines  of  its  history  here  are  coincident  and  parallel  with  those 
of  our  civil  and  national  history. 

Many  of  her  sons  were  bravely  and  heroically  engaged  in 
our  Revolutionary  War.      Her  most  distinguished  member — 


OF   OLD   WHITE   CHURCH.  79 

through  whose  counsel  and  contribution  mainly  your  present 
"  White  Church  "  was  located  and  erected — on  the  field  of  battle, 
in  the  halls  of  legislation,  in  Congress,  on  the  judiciary,  con- 
tributed an  important  part  in  the  achievement  of  our  inde- 
pendence and  the  construction  of  our  State  and  national 
commonwealths — General  John   Williams. 

Under  the  faithful  pastors  of  the  Church  generations  have 
come  and  gone,  from  whom  influences  and  agencies  have 
sprung  which  have  reached  far  and  wide,  shaping  the  religious 
life  of  individuals,  churches,  and  communities. 

Much  and  perhaps  the  richest  part  of  the  "  White  Church's  " 
history  is  unwritten;  but  it  is  recorded,  and  will  be  rehearsed, 
in  the  assembly  and  church  in  the  Salem  above. 

With  my  congratulations  to  the  congregation,  whose 
privilege  it  is  to  be  the  generation  to  celebrate  the  centennial, 

I  am  fraternally  yours, 

H.  L.  Singleton. 

«   «   «   « 


Rev.  Dr.  John  D.  Wells,  who  now  lives  in  Brooklyn, 
speaks  for  himself  of  his  young  days  spent  in  the  vicinity : 

Yours  of  the  29th  ult.  is  before  me.  I  thank  you  for  the 
courtesy  of  an  invitation  to  the  service  commemorating  the 
centennial  of  the  "  White  Church  "  building,  Salem,  N.  Y. 

My  early  association  with  Salem  makes  your  invitation  veiy 
attractive,  and  it  seems  almost  absurd  to  plead  a  multitude  of 
years  as  my  main  reason  for  failing  to  be  present  on  that  inter- 
esting occasion.  There  are  other  reasons  indeed,  for  I  am  still 
a  busy  pastor,  but  eighty-two  years  and  a  small  fraction  more 
hold  me  fast  to  my  home  and  parish. 

I  need  hardly  add  an  expression  of  the  hope  that  your  cen- 
tennial may  be  the  occasion  of  great  blessing,  as  well  as  of 
great  interest,  to  the  good  people  and  pastor  who  worship  in 
the  venerable  building. 

Yours  sincerely, 

John  D.  Wells. 


8o  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 

Next  we  print  the  kind  words  of  one  so  widely  known 
that  no  introduction  is  needed;  there  must  only  be  an 
explanation  of  his  connection  with  the  little  village  of 
Salem  ;  the  postscript  will  explain  that : 

91  Park  Avenue,  New  York,  Nov.  2,  1897. 
Dear  Sir  : 

I  very  much  regret  that  my  engagements  are  such  that  I 
must  deprive  myself  of  the  pleasure  of  accepting  your  valued 
invitation  to  the  services  commemorative  of  the  "  White 
Church,"  appointed  for  the  9th  instant.  I  shall  be  much 
interested  to  learn  of  the  complete  success  of  your  pains- 
taking arrangements  for  illustrating  an  occasion  of  historic 
interest.  Very  respectfully  and  truly, 

Andrew  H,  Green. 
Messrs.  F.  H.  Williams, 
Wm.  McFarland, 
David  H.  Safford. 

It  occurs  to  me  that  the  F.  H.  Williams  above  may  be  the 
lady  with  whom  I  have  had  correspondence  and  who  is  a  mem- 
ber of  our  Scenic  vSociety.  If  so,  I  trtist  she  will  accept  my 
apology  for  not  prefixing  her  proper  title. 


«   «   « 


The  epistle  of  Rev.  Dr.  Steele  is  interesting,  not  only 
from  its  intrinsic  merit,  but  from  the  fact  that  some  of  his 
relatives  still  form  part  of  the  congregation  in  Salem.  We 
will  mention  one — the  wife  of  Hon.  Lonson  Fraser  : 

113  Charlotte  Ave., 
Detroit,  Mich.,  Nov.  i,  1897. 
Dear  Madam  : 

I  thank  you,  and  your  associates  in  the  committee,  for  the 
invitation  to  attend  the  services  commemorating  the  centen- 
nial of  the  "  White  Church  "  building  in  Salem. 


OF   OLD   WHITE   CHURCH.  8i 

At  an  earlier  season  of  the  year  it  would  have  been  pleasant 
for  me  to  visit  the  town  of  Salem  and  enjoy  the  feast  of  good 
things  which  you  are  providing.  But  I  must  deny  myself  of 
the  pleasure  of  meeting  with  the  congregation  on  this  interest- 
ing occasion.  Yet  I  must  send  to  this  Church  of  my  fathers 
my  most  hearty  congratulations  and  my  joy  on  learning  of 
your  continued  prosperity. 

I  have  pleasant  recollections  of  that  noble  sanctuary  in 
which  three  generations  have  had  the  privilege  of  worshiping. 

What  a  noble  race  of  men  they  were  who  stood  at  the  front 
to  do  work  for  the  Master.  And  what  an  array  of  godly  minis- 
ters who  have  proclaimed  through  these  years  the  glorious 
Gospel  of  the  grace  of  God. 

The  occasion  will  be  a  delightful  one,  and  cannot  fail  to 
result  in  much  profit  to  you  all. 

Regretting  that  I  cannot  be  with  you  on  the  9th  inst.,  and 
trusting  that  the  exercises  may  be  all  that  you  anticipate, 

I  am,  yours  very  truly, 

Richard  H.  Steele. 


«   «   «   «• 


The  production  of  Kev.  Dr.  ScouUer's  pen  shows  an 
aptitude  of  handling  wrought  through  long  experience  as  a 
church  historian.  True,  natural  taste  and  genius  must  be 
behind  that ;  read  the  following  and  you  will  admit  that 
those  are  not  lacking. 

Newville,  Pa.,  Nov.  i,  1897. 

Your  kind  invitation  to  attend  the  approaching  centenary 
of  the  old  "White  Church"  has  been  received  ;  and  if  it  were 
within  the  possibilities  I  would  gladly  do  so.  But  long  in- 
validism has  been  so  weighted  with  years  that  I  have  become 
virtually  housebound.  It  is  now  more  than  a  year  since  I  have 
been  upon  the  street,  and  almost  two  since  I  have  been  to 


82  CENTENNIAL   CELEBRATION 

church,    and   my   days  are  far  from  being  days   of   comfort, 
although  my  heart  is  fixed  "and  my  mind  is  at  peace." 

My  first  visit  to  Salem  was  in  June,  1845,  when  I  spent  a 
week  with  Dr.  Halley,  and  preached  for  him  twice.  Since  then 
I  was  often  there,  and  have  had  many  valued  friends  in  that 
old  "White  Church."  But  Time,  the  tomb-builder,  has,  I 
guess,  garnered  them  all ;  so  that  I  am  now  personally  a 
stranger  there. 

God  has  again  and  again  signally  blessed  that  old  Church  • 
and  if  faithful  to  your  trust.  He  will  bless  you  still,  for  He 
loves  to  give. 

My  prayer  is  that  the  past,  with  all  its  rich  fruitage,  may  be 
only  an  earnest  or  first-fruit  of  a  glorious  future. 

Very  tnily, 

James  B.  Scouller. 

«   «   «   « 


Next  we  have  a  contribution  from  the  pen  of  Mrs. 
Wiles,  a  child  of  Dr.  Halley,  the  fifth  of  the  nine  pastors 
who  have  had  charge  of  the  congregation  in  one  hundred 
and  thirty  years : 

Albany,  N.  Y.,  Nov.  6,  1897. 
Dear  Friends  : 

The  very  cordial  invitation  of  your  committee,  urging  my 
presence  at  the  services  commemorating  the  centennial  of  the 
"  White  Church  "  building,  is  at  hand.  I  wish  to  thank  you, 
most  sincerely,  for  this  kind  remembrance  ;  and  were  it  possible 
for  me  to  be  absent  from  home  on  the  day  you  have  chosen  for 
this  service,  be  assured  that  nothing  would  give  me  more 
pleasure  than  to  be  with  you.  I  have  a  warm  place  in  my  heart 
for  the  Salem  people  and  the  old  "  White  Church,"  for  I 
remember  that  that  Church  was  my  father's  first  charge  in  this 
country,  and  it  was  there  that  he  gave  so  many  of  the  younger 
years  of  his  life. 

While  circumstances  will   prevent  my  acceptance  of  your 


REV.    EBENEZER    HALLEV,    D.  D. 
1838-1848 


OF   OLD   WHITE   CHURCH.  83 

polite  invitation,  I  shall  certainly  remember  the  event  and 
pray  for  the  continual  increase  of  the  old  Church  and  its  good 
people.     Again  thanking  you,  I  remain, 

Very  truly  yours, 

Fanny  Hart  Halley  Wiles. 


«   «   «   « 


Mrs.  Wiles  was  not  born  in  Salem ;  her  brother,  Rev. 
Dr.  Eben  Halley,  had  his  birth  place  here.  Taken  in  the 
prime  of  manhood  from  earth  to  heaven,  he  shall  be  kept 
in  remembrance  by  these  words  of  regret  and  affection 
written  by  his  bereaved  wife : 

Dear  Friends  : 

I  have  just  received  the  note  of  invitation  from  the  com- 
mittee of  the  *' White  Church"  building,  and  beg  leave  to  thank 
them  most  kindly  and  warmly  for  their  desire  that  I  should  be 
present  at  their  interesting  exercises. 

It  would  give  me  more  pleasure  than  I  can  express  to  be  in 
Salem  on  November  9th.  I  have  heard  from  Dr.  Halley,  Sen., 
and  my  husband  of  their  Salem  days,  and  to  which  they  alwa5'-s 
referred  with  the  greatest  affection.  I  regret,  however,  my 
inability  to  be  one  of  those  who  shall  listen  to  the  reports  and 
history  dating  over  such  a  long  period. 

Congratulating  you  and  thanking  you,  I  am. 

Most  sincerely, 

Henrietta  B.  Halley. 


«   «   «   « 


Mrs.  Farrington,  whose  communication  follows,  lived 
in  Salem  almost  ten  years,  in  the  old  parsonage,  while  her 
husband  preached  the  word,  administered  the  sacraments, 


84  CENTENNIAL   CELEBRATION 

and  kept  watch  and  ward  of  the  "  AVhite  Church"  people. 
He  died  many  years  ago  in  Newburgh.  Mrs.  Farrington 
lives  with  her  daughters  in  Lakewood,  New  Jersey. 

My  Dear  Young  Friend  : 

I  was  about  writing  to  you  when  we  received  your  invitation 
to  the  centennial  of  the  "White  Church.  "  I  am  too  blind  to 
go  alone,  and  my  daughters  are  more  occupied  than  usual, 
owing  to  a  new  association  for  village  improvement,  which 
leaves  them  no  spare  time.  I  should  much  have  enjoyed  being 
there,  but  can  only  send  my  wishes  for  the  presence  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  upon  pastor  and  people. 

Please  give  our  thanks  to  the  committee  for  remembering 
us  old  friends. 

God  has  blessed  you  in  the  past ;  may  you  have  a  double 
portion  in  the  future  :  one  may  sow  and  another  reap.  May 
God  have  us  all  in  His  holy  keeping  until  He  takes  us  to 
Himself. 

M.  M.  Farrington. 

«   «   «   « 


Tidings  from  the  extreme  north  of  the  Presbytery 
came  in  the  shape  of  these  hopeful  words  of  Dr.  Reynolds : 

Putnam,  N.  Y. 
Dear  Friends  : 

Your  kind  invitation  received,  for  which  accept  my  thanks. 
I  am  sorry  to  be  unable  to  be  with  you  at  the  "White  Church's" 
centennial.  I  hope,  however,  there  will  be  a  generation  one 
hundred  years  hence,  at  Salem,  both  godly  and  prosperous 
and  tracing  many  of  their  blessings  back  to  the  old  "  White 
Church." 

Yours  sincerely, 

J.  A.  Reynolds. 


OF   OLD   WHITE   CHURCH.  85 

The  writer  of  that  which  follows  was  the  Principal  of 
the  Washington  Academy  for  a  number  of  years.  He  is 
now  a  very  successful  pastor  of  a  church  in  a  neighboring 
town,  and  not  infrequently  visits  our  village: 

CoHOES,  N.  Y.,  Nov.  5,  1897. 
Committee  of'  Invitation  : 

Many  thanks  for  the  request  to  be  present  at  the  centennial 
of  the  "  White  Church  "  building,  Salem.  It  is  a  sacred  spot  to 
me.  There  much  of  the  truth  that  was  planted  in  the  heart  of 
my  precious  mother  took  deep  root,  and  was  then  brought  to 
me  in  its  fruitage  to  prepare  me  to  be  a  minister  of  Jesus  Christ. 
God  only  knows  the  blessing  that  Church  has  been,  not  only  to 
the  town  of  Salem,  but  also  to  Washington  County  and  to  the 
whole  United  States.  Many  a  devout  person  has  thought  of 
that  consecrated  place,  and  said,  "  How  amiable  are  Thy 
tabernacles,  O  Lord  of  hosts." 

I  shall  attend  your  delightful  centennial  services  if  my 
many  engagements  here  shall  permit. 

Yours  very  respectfully,  in  Christian  love, 

Wm.  M.  Johnson. 

«   «   «   « 


Rev.  Dr.  Fisher,  whose  eloquent  production  next 
appears,  was  settled  in  West  Hebron,  not  so  very  many 
years  ago ;  and  being  so  near  a  neighbor  has  always  been 
asked  to  share  in  our  celebrations.  Though  not  here  in 
person,  we  fancied  him  present  when  this  was  read  : 

New  York,  Oct.  30,  1897. 
Committee  on  Invitation  : 

It  is  a  matter  of  profound  regret  that  I  am  again  prevented 
from  accepting  the  very  kind  invitation  to  share  in  one  of  the 
"memorable  occasions"  of  the  historic  "White  Church." 

An  important  event  in  my  family — the  marriage  of  my  only 
daughter,  on  the  day  succeeding  the  one  fixed  for  celebrating 


86  CENTENNIAL   CELEBRATION 

the  centennial  of  the  "  White  Church"  building — has  established 
a  monopoly  of  my  time  to  the  exclusion  of  all  other  interests, 

I  wish  to  assure  you  of  the  warm  interest  I  feel  in  every- 
thing that  concerns  the  history  of  the  old  "  White  Church."  I 
could  only  have  been  present  in  spirit  when  the  old  Church 
was  building,  a  fact  which  will  hardly  account  for  the  interest ; 
but  the  familiar  names  of  the  men  who  were  there  and  of  those 
who  succeeded  them  have  been  household  words  in  the  homes 
familiar  to  the  most  of  my  life. 

The  ambition  that  stirred  my  boyish  hopes  found  their  in- 
spirations in  the  living  men  that  carved  the  fortunes  of  the 
Presbyterian  churches  (conspicuously  the  Associate  Reformed) 
of  the  south  end  of  Washington  County.  Within  the  sweep  of 
the  horizon  of  that  young  life,  the  giants  in  the  ecclesiastical 
world,  were  the  men  who  occupied  those  pulpits,  foremost 
among  whom  were  Drs.  Proudfit,  Halley,  and  others  familiar 
to  the  most  of  you. 

The  influence  of  the  men  of  the  CJittrch  of  those  early 
generations,  in  determining  for  the  young  the  highest  and 
noblest  careers,  both  in  Church  and  vState,  is  beyond  question. 
May  those  who  have  succeeded  to  their  positions  be  alike 
faithful  to  their  obligations,  and  transmit  the  inheritance  with 
the  added  lustre  of  nobly  filled  opportunities. 

I  am  very  sincerely  yours, 

J.  R.  Fisher. 

«   «   «   « 


Mrs.  Fowler  w\as  a  Miss  McAllister  once  upon  a  time. 
She  has  removed  far  away  from  her  childhood's  home; 
but  the  mail  is  carried  to  and  from  Minnesota  with  great 
regularity,  and  brought  us  this  warm-hearted  effusion,  to 
which  we  listened  with  delight : 

Minneapolis,  Minn.,  Nov.  5,  1897, 
Dear  Friends  : 

I  received  your  kind  invitation  yesterday,  and  hasten  to 
reply.     Nothing  could  have  given  me  greater  pleasure  than  to 


OF   OLD  WHITE  CHURCH.  87 

visit  the  dear  old  place  once  more,  had  circumstances  been 
favorable.  May  the  blessing-  of  Almighty  God  rest  upon  all 
who  are  still  members  and  interested  in  the  old  "  White  Church," 
where  I  first  confessed  Christ,  and  who  has  led  me  all  the  way 
these  many  5'-ears.  I  shall  read  the  notice  in  the  Salem  paper 
of  the  services  with  great  interest. 

Thanking  you  for  your  kind  remembrance  of  me, 

I  remain  your  friend, 

S.  A.  Fowler. 

«   «   «   « 

The  sons  of  the  Church  came  to  the  front  again,  as  they 
did  at  the  congregation's  centennial,  also  the  quarter-cen- 
tennial of  the  eighth  pastor,  a  year  ago.  Letters  from 
four  of  Mr.  Mackenzie's  young  men  are  inserted  here  in  the 
order  named :  Rev.  Herbert  C.  Hinds,  now  in  the  Presby- 
terian Church ;  Rev.  Albert  G.  Todd,  Congregational,  set- 
tled in  Worcester,  Mass.;  Rev.  Charles  T.  White,  over  a 
Presbyterian  Church  in  Hebron ;  Rev.  James  G.  Robert- 
son, pastor  of  a  Congregational  Church  in  Chester,  New 
Hampshire: 

4  McPherson  Terrace, 
Albany,  N.  Y.,  Nov.  5,  1897. 
My  dear  Miss  W.: 

It  would  afford  me  very  much  pleasure  to  attend  the 
centennial  exercises  of  the  old  "  White  Church,"  and  say  a  few 
words  of  the  future  ;  but  a  previous  engagement  to  deliver  an 
address  before  the  quarterly  convention  of  the  Y.  P.  S.  C.  E.  of 
Schenectady  County,  at  Schenectady,  in  the  afternoon  of 
Tuesday,  the  9th,  will  prevent. 

I  regret  that  some  meeting  interferes  with  all  your  calls  for 
a  speech,  and  I  hope  that  I  may  be  able  to  respond  to  your 
next  request. 

With  many  thanks  to  you  and  the  committee,  and  with  best 
wishes  for  your  future, 

I  am  very  cordially  yours, 

Herbert  C.  Hinds. 


88  CENTENNIAL   CELEBRATION 

15  Stafford  St., 
Worcester,  Mass.,  Nov.  3,  1897. 
Committee  of  Invitation. 

My  dear  Friends  :  I  consider  myself  highly  honored  in 
receiving  an  invitation  to  the  centennial  of  the  "  White  Church  " 
building,  Salem,  N.  Y.  I  truly  regret  that  it  will  be  impossible 
for  me  to  attend  the  exercises  connected  therewith — due,  in 
fact,  to  the  meeting  of  our  Ministerial  Association  on  that  date, 
in  Bethany  Church. 

That  the  occasion  may  prove  a  spiritual  uplift  to  the  beloved 
Church,  and  entire  community,  is  my  hearty  wish  and  earnest 
prayer.  Cordially, 

Albert  G.  Todd. 

Hebron,  N.  Y.,  Nov.  5,  1897. 
Mr.  D.  H.  Safford. 

Dear  Sir  :  The  kind  invitation  of  the  committee  to  attend 
the  anniversary  exercises  of  the  "  White  Church  "  building, 
Tuesday  evening,  Nov.  9,  was  received  three  days  ago.  I  have 
delayed  answering  in  the  hope  of  seeing  my  way  clear  to  accept 
the  invitation,  but  the  coming  week  seems  so  far  filled  with 
special  work  that  I  ain  extremely  doubtful  whether  I  can  allow 
myself  the  pleasure  of  being  present. 

Hoping  I  can  find  time  to  enjoy  the  occasion  with  you,  I 
will,  at  least,  extend  my  congratulations  to  the  congregation 
for  their  past  history  of  usefulness  and  service  in  the  vineyard 
of  the  Master,  hoping  and  praying  that  the  future  of  the  old 
"  White  Church  "  may  be  even  brighter  than  the  past,  and  that 
the  new  pastorate,  so  auspiciously  begun,  may  mark  an  era  of 
prosperity  and  rich  spiritual  blessings. 

With  thanks  for  the  invitation,  I  remain, 

Sincerely  yours, 

Chas.  T.  White. 


Chester,  N.  H.,  Nov.  2,  1897. 
Dear  Friends  : 

I  write  to  thank  you  for  the  kind  invitation  to  be  present  at 

the  centennial  service  soon  to  be  held  in  the  "White  Church." 


OF  OLD  WHITE   CHURCH.  89 

It  is  with  sincere  regret  that  I  write  saying  I  shall  not  be  able 
to  be  with  you,  for  I  owe  so  much  to  the  Church  of  my  boyhood 
and  youth  that  I  wish  to  show  deference  to  her  in  every  possible 
way.  If  the  Lord  has,  in  His  wondrous  mercy,  made  me  to  be 
of  some  service  to  my  brother  men,  I  have  the  training  received 
in  the  ''  White  Church  "  to  thank  for  it.  My  sympathy  and 
prayers  shall  be  with  you  on  the  joyous  occasion,  and  I  will 
rejoice  with  you  in  spirit. 

Sincerely  yours, 

Jas.  G.  Robertson. 

«   «   «   « 


The  week  after  the  centennial  was  over,  on  receiving 
the  newspaper  account,  Mr.  Robertson  wrote  once  more  to 
this  effect : 

I  am  glad  the  exercises  went  off  so  well  and  that  there  was 
so  large  an  attendance.  Just  think,  we  shall  never  have  that 
opportunity  again  !  One  centennial  is  all  that  is  allowed  to 
mortals.  One  who  reflects  upon  this  finds  no  difficulty  in  recog- 
nizing his  limitations  as  to  hundred-year  anniversaries.  Another 
generation  will  inhabit  the  earth  when  the  next  centennial  of 
the  old  Church  comes  around,  if  the  building  will  last  so  long. 
How  I  should  like  to  look  in  on  them  to  observe  their  manners 
and  customs.  I  doubt  if  steam-cars  will  be  running  over  the 
old  D.  «&:  H.  road  ;  there  will  be  other  and  better  modes  of 
transportation.  I  think  some  of  the  old  family  names  will 
remain.  McFarland's  and  Beatty's  will  still  inherit  the  earth, 
and  tend  store,  and  be  useful  in  a  thousand  ways.  How  time 
flies ! 


We  empty  the  mail-bag  by  producing  two  letters  from 
ministers  of  the  M.  E.  Church.    They  contain  good  wishes 

13 


go  CENTENNIAL   CELEBRATION 

from  Rev.  Mr.  Harwood  (who  was  here  for  several  terms, 
and  whom  we  would  like  to  have  had  longer,  the  inter- 
course between  the  congregations  being  so  pleasant),  and 
Mr.  Meeker  who,  though  never  stationed  in  Salem,  was 
almost  the  next  thing  to  it,  having  his  abode  in  Cambridge : 

Round  Lake,  Nov.  8,  1897. 
Mr.  William  McFarland, 

Member  of  the  Committee  of  Invitation. 
Dear  Sir  :     Your   kindly   invitation   is   before   me,   and  I 
hasten  to  reply.     While  it  would  afford  me  much  pleasure  to 
be  present  at  your  centennial,  circumstances  are  such  that  I 
cannot  well  attend. 

Hoping  that  you  as  a  people  may  have  an  enjoyable  time,  I 

remain, 

Yours  fraternally, 

T.  W.  Harwood. 

P.  S. — May  the  old  "  White  Church  "  stand  another  hundred 
years,  to  shed  its  halo  of  brightness  on  its  many  sons  and 
daughter,  and  bless  the  community  where  its  honored  form  is 
so  well  known. 

T.  W.  H. 

«   «   «   « 


Troy,  N.  Y.,  Nov.  5,  1897. 
Committee  of  Invitation. 

Dear  Friends  :  I  can  hardly  tell  in  words  what  heartfelt 
pleasure  it  gives  me  to  be  invited  once  more  to  the  old  "  White 
Church  "  and  its  devout  people  for  another  memorial  service. 

I  thought,  when  with  you  in  your  last  celebration,  that  I 
was  attending  my  final  service  in  a  place  that  has  been,  like 
Uz  of  old,  invested  with  the  divine  Spirit  for  a  hundred  years. 

I  have  a  great  veneration  for  old  places  where  the  fathers 
and  mothers  gathered  for  their  Sabbath  worship,  where  the 
Gospel  has  been  preached  in  its  purity  and  power,  and  where 
I  have  been  occasionally  invited  to  give  a  sermon  and  received 


OF   OLD  WHITE   CHURCH.  91 

with  the  kindest  welcome  by  pastor  and  people.  As  I  have 
said,  I  greatly  appeciate  the  kind  invitation,  and  would  be 
delighted  to  join  with  you  in  the  historic  service,  but  a  previous 
engagement  prevents  acceptance. 

Though  absent  in  body,  I  shall  be  present  with  you  in 
spirit ;  and  my  prayer  is  that  the  devotion,  peace,  and  prosperity 
which  has  characterized  you  in  the  past  will  continue  in  the 
future. 

Most  cordially  yours, 

W.  H.  Meeker. 


^^  ^^  ^^ 


TOKENS 


Bescription  of  the  fiDueeum, 

Persistently  lias  the  "Gray  Man"  shadowed  all  of 
Salem's  history,  and  this  fragment  would  be  incomplete 
without  a  touch  of  his  hand.  Thus  he  seems  to  have 
regarded  the  matter,  for  on  the  eve  of  the  centennial  he 
quietly  placed  on  the  collector' s  desk  a  long-lost  relic :  this 
was  a  small  gray  book,  containing  the  farewell  address  of 
Dr.  Thomas  Clark  to  his  Balibay  congregation.  The 
little  volume  had  not  been  seen  for  a  dozen  or  more  years, 
and  its  mysterious  re-appearance  is  at  least  worth  noting. 

A  few  days  before,  while  search  was  being  made  in  an 
old  garret,  there  came  to  light  a  quaint  picture  of  a  church. 
It  was  wrought  w^ith  a  needle  in  silks ;  on  the  back  was 
pasted  a  newspaper,  bearing  date  1797 ;  this  savored  so 
strongly  of  the  Gray  Man's  manoeuvres  that  his  domain 
was  abandoned  and  interesting  relics  were  sought  else- 
where. 

Friends,  learning  that  antiques  were  desired  for  exhibi- 
tion on  this  occasion,  sent  two  old-time  foot-stoves,  which 
were  formerly  carried  to  Church  that  the  worshipers 
might  not  freeze ;  an  ancient  Bible  and  Psalm-book  too, 
long  out-lasting  their  original  owners ;  a  huge  china  plat- 
ter was  in  the  collection,  having  escaped  uncracked  from 
the  wreck  of  time ;  a  pewter  plate  and  porridge-pot  were 
also  known  to  have  ' '  ministered  to  the  necessities  of  the 
Saints ' '  in  the  dim  long  ago. 

A  few  Church  "Tokens "  were  displayed  to  be  looked  at 
where  once  they  had  been  distributed  with  great  solemnity  ; 
the  writer  remembers  the  resx)onsibility  which  the  care  of  a 
"Token"   involved,   from  the  Saturday  afternoon  service 


CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION.  94 

until  it  was  safely  returned  to  an  elder  at  the  communion 
table.  What  if  it  should  be  left  at  home,  or  worse,  dropjied 
when  being  handed  ? 

A  baptismal  bowl  was  one  of  the  interesting  articles ; 
many  years'  service  had  so  worn  off  the  silver  that  it  had 
been  considered  unfit  for  use  and  stored  away,  no  one 
knows  how  long,  on  a  high  shelf. 

Two  contribution-boxes  with  long  handles,  to  provide  for 
reaching  the  extreme  ends  of  the  pews,  testified  that 
giving  was  practised  as  an  act  of  worsliip  in  those  ancient 
days,  though  in  a  different  style  from  the  modern  plates 
now  passed  around. 

There  were  letters  of  early  date,  besides  publications 
whose  venerable  appearance  called  forth  the  wonder  which 
"The  Salem  Book"  and  this  pamphlet  may  evoke  in 
nineteen  hundred  and  ninety- seven. 


p„nceton  Theoloqical ,  Sf,"l'"| ,  ,,^,  V  1 1 1 


1    1012  01217   1726 


